Laserfiche WebLink
August 1, 2011 C- 1981 - 037 /GEC Strip Mine JHB <br />ROADS — Rule 4.03 Drainage 4.03.1(4)/4.03.2(4) Surfacing and Maintenance4.03.1(5) and (6)/4.03.2(5) and (6) <br />Reclamation 4.03.1(7)/4.03.2(7): <br />Side cutting of the access road by runoff into the collection ditch was a concern noted by the landowner. Down - <br />cutting of the ditch encroaches upon the road width. There were specifically two locations on the northwest curve <br />of Chen's hill where down- cutting along the roadway was cutting into the road width, and reducing the width of <br />vehicles that could traverse the road. The rest of the road continued to be functional with no additional rilling of <br />the roadway. <br />RECLAMATION SUCCESS - Rule 4.15, Rule 3: <br />Erosion features (gullies) on portions of the reclaimed slopes remain evident. There are several problem areas on <br />the steeper slopes of Chen's Hill, East Pit, the drainage between the East and West pit, and on the north slope of <br />the West pit exhibiting gullies. Some of the gullies are quite deep, with several on the north side of Chen's hill <br />reaching 4 -5 feet deep. Most of the gullies are shallower, 2 -3 feet deep, and many show evidence of stabilizing <br />with live vegetation taking root in the bottoms of the gully, vegetated sediment outwash, and little fresh sediment <br />outwash. <br />While there exist some gullied areas, much of the reclaimed slopes remain intact and not eroding. Vegetative <br />cover on the east side of Chen's hill appears sparse with several bare areas. These bare areas were not developing <br />gullies. <br />Recently deposited sediment was evident at the North east end of Chen's hill. This sediment is gray and appears <br />shaley, and droughty. The collection ditch at the base of Chen's hill remains deeply downcut. The western end of <br />this ditch exhibits some side cutting into the access road. The Division and OSM were able to drive the access <br />road with SUVs beyond the most impacted section of roadway. <br />The drainage northeast of the East and West Pits, with the broken concrete check dams, continues to be deeply <br />downcut. <br />REVEGETATION — Rule 4.15 Vegetative Cover; Timing: <br />Vegetation has been established on the reclaimed areas since the initial seeding in 1994. <br />Herbaceous vegetative cover was collected using a 10 pt. lazer point - frame. Sample start points were detennined <br />prior to field work, by randomly locating 30 transect start locations on the reclaimed area map using a Hawths <br />GPS computer program. Transect start coordinates were then entered into a Trimble XT GPS unit. Random <br />directions were determined prior to data collection in the field. If a designated compass direction would direct the <br />transect outside of the reclamation area, then another random direction was determined that would direct the <br />transect within the reclamation area. <br />Transects did not cross the access road. If transects crossed bare areas or large gullies, or large rocks, the transect <br />was sampled including those features. <br />Number of Partial Inspection this Fiscal Year: 0 <br />Number of Complete Inspections this Fiscal Year: 3 <br />Page 3 of 7 <br />