2012-12-19_PERMIT FILE - M2012051

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(F) pR s United States Department of Agriculture a 4\RCS Yuma County Conservation District Natural Resources Conservation Service 247 N Clay N Wray, CO 80758 September 15, 2011 Howard McGinnis Yuma County Road and Bridge Wray, CO 80758 Dear Howard, SEP 2 1 2011 I looked at the potential road bed site in the W2, SW4, 34 -4N -47 for reclamation purposes after mining is completed in April 2009 and again in August 2011. There are three soil types in this area. Soil 19 - Haxtun sandy loam - is in the swale /drainage area. Soil 3 — Ascalon sandy loam — is on the east side of the Haxtun sandy loam and makes up the hill slope. Soil 5 — Ascalon fine sandy loam is on the top of the rise on the east and extends east from the road to the Haxtun sandy loam. Haxtun sandy loam (19) should be calcareous below a depth of 54 inches, according to the soil description. I saw two test holes in 2009 and the material looked pretty gravely, so there must be a gravely inclusion on the site. The Ascalon soils have a calcareous layer, in a relatively narrow band between 18 and 44 inches below the surface. The topography map shows two wet areas in the swale and these were holding water the day I visited in April 2009. They were quite dry in August 2011. They are both very, very small at less than 20 sq. ft. The majority of the vegetation over the entire area is blue grama and western wheat. There is some sand dropseed, sedges and various annual grasses and annual/perennial forbs. There was some sand sagebrush on the west slope and snakeweed on the east slope. I suggest your reclamation seed mix consist of 10 -15% sand bluestem, 20 -30 % prairie sand reed, 15 -30% western wheatgrass, 0 -15 % little bluestem, 5 -15% yellow indiangrass, 5 -15% sideoats grama, 10 -15% blue grama, 0 -10% switchgrass, and 0 -10% needle- and - thread. Seed should be drilled between November 1 and April 30 for best survival and establishment, if at all possible. See enclosed grass seeding recommendation for more information on the grass mix Helping People Help the Land An Equal Opportunity Employer and Provider