_GENERAL DOCUMENTS - C1981017 ‎(234)‎

• Permit No: C1981017
• IBM Index Class Name: GENERAL DOCUMENTS
• Doc Name: Bid Documents ‎(IMP)‎ 1997 Correspondence
• Permit Index Doc Type: General Correspondence
• Media Type: D
• Archive: No

PROJECT PLAN
(D1) Project Mission and Objectives
The project will address improvement of the quality of the
watershed within Coal Basin, and enhance Corps Member and public
knowledge of natural �rocesses. by stabilizing highly erosive mine
benches and other distur ed lands through the planting of trees and
shrubs; by construction of erosion control structures; by teachin��
Corps Members concrete skills in erosion control, wildlife habitat
improvement and mined land reclamation; and by involving the local
community in the restoration process.
The purpose of the project is to improve the quality of the Coal
Creek and Dutch Creek watersheds by undertaking three major tasks:
planting of seedling trees on and near reclaimed mine entries,/
planting of ieedling trees and brush species below the mine bench
outslopes and at other areas of the mine site disturbed as a result
of mining activities; by construction of erosion control structureq
at various locations throughout the mine site.
The Coal Basin Mine is located southwest of Carbondale, and covers
11,000 acres, of which 430 were disturbed by coal mining
activities. The coal mine operated from about 1954 through 1991,
producing approximately one million tons of coal per year. The
operator of the mine, Mid-Continent Resources, filed for bankrupt
protection in 1992. In August, 1992, the Colorado Mined Land
Reclamation Board revoked th operating permit. The Division of
Minerals and Geology (Division) began reclamation activities in
1994. Reclamation is funded through the bankruptcy court. Over
150 acres have been reclaimed to date.
The Coal Basin Mine is composed of five separate underground mines,
all of which are located within about five miles of each other
within Coal Basin. The mine entries have been sealed and
backfilled, so that there is no underground access. The entries
were developed at an elevation of 10,000 feet near the top of
Huntsman Ridge, which forms the western margin of Coal Basin. The
Basin is drained by two stream systems, Coal Creek and Dutch Creek.
These streams are tributary to the Crystal River, near Redstone,
Colorado. In order to access the mines, a network of haul roads
was developed. Approximately fifteen miles of roads were
constructed in the Basin. The roads cross numerous drainages and ;
canyons. In many cases, as a road intersected a drainage, the
runoff from that drainage was diverted to another drainage system
via a network of ditches and culverts which was constructed to
compliment the road system. The result of this practice is that in
many areas, severe erosion has occurred within or adjacent to the
receiving drainage.
The attached map depicts the location of the mines, haul roads and
major drainages within Coal Basin.
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