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Topsoil Maintenance and Replacement <br />Topsoil stockpiles will be maintained by vegetation established from cover crop materials and Seed Mix No. <br />3. Plant establishment will help maintain topsoil viabil'Ay by repladng nitrogen and maintaining the surface in <br />a friable condition, retaining soil moisture, increasing soil organic matter content, and promoting the activity <br />of microorganisms. Established vegetation will minimize erosion. To further aid erosion control, hay (or <br />straw) bales or small check dikes will be used, when needed, to direct runoff around topsoil stockpiles. <br />Small catchment areas will be used to control runoff from topsoil stockpiles. <br />Once a topsoil stockpile is in place and stabilized, a cover crop is seeded. This is performed during the first <br />opportune planting season (spring, summer, or fall) as determined by weather conditions, following stockpile <br />establishment. The topsoil stockpile seed mix (Seed Mix No. 3) is generalty seeded during the first fall <br />planting season after stockpile stabilization. Spring seeding with this mix may be done 'rf conditions permit. <br />Depending on the timing of stockpile establishment, the cover crop and the stockpile seed mix may be <br />seeded simukaneousy. <br />Seed Mix No. 3 includes alfalfa to replenish nitrogen and to keep the microorganisms of stockpiled topsoil in <br />a viable condition. Sod-forming spaces such as streambank wheatgress, intermediate whealgress, western <br />wheatgress, and Canada bluegrass are incuded to help stabilize the surface. All species will provide earty <br />spring growth and will maintain growth into fall. All species will provide drought tolerance to the stodkpile <br />vegetation cover. Quick establishment of vegetative cover will be aided by slender wheatgrass and <br />mountain brome. With the exception of Canada bluegrass and streambank wheatgrass, all spades are <br />cepable of producing an extensive and deep root biomass to further enhance stability and maintain soil <br />contlitioning. <br />All topsoil stockpiles are within the mine perimeter fence or outside of fenced pastures, and therefore, <br />stockpile disturbance by domestic livestodk will be precluded. If noxious weeds occur, they will be controlled <br />using approved weed control methods and registered chemicals on the stockpiles. so the likelihood of <br />noxious weed infestations on reclaimed areas will be reduced (see Weed and Pest Control later in this tab). <br />Once the topsoil is replaced, and potential or existing slippage areas are identified, contour tillage and hay <br />bales or small check dikes will be used as needed to direct water away from the area of repair. <br />Shallow postmine soil pits will routinely be excavated near revegetation monitoring sites to determine plant <br />rooting depths, test and evaluate the topsoiUspoil fertility, and compare topsoiUspoil profile data with ske- <br />specific revegetation data. The minimum fertility analyses will incude pH, particle size, organic matter, total <br />• <br />• <br />• <br />TR37 138 Revisetl 04!05 <br />