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rabbitfoot grass, beaked sedge, meadow barley, spikerush, slender wheatgrass, Baltic rush, <br />broadleaf cattail, and redtop. <br />Wetland Delineation <br />The presence of wetlands within the proposed PSCM necessitated an evaluation and delineation <br />of these wetlands and permitting under U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (COE) jurisdictional <br />wetland requirements. The preliminary riparian and wetland characterization completed in <br />October 2008 supported the detailed wetland delineation field studies completed in August and <br />September 2009, followed by a COE and SCCC site visit on October 27, 2009. The detailed <br />wetland delineation studies followed COE criteria and procedures issued by the COE's Colorado <br />West Regulatory Branch in Grand Junction, Colorado (Mr. Nathan Green Project Manager). The <br />wetland delineation study is included as Exhibit 2.04.10 -E2. The wetland delineation study <br />supports a Pre - Construction Notification (PCN) application submitted to the COE under <br />Nationwide Permit 21 for the PSCM. <br />Wetlands Enhancement <br />Wetland delineation studies were conducted by ESCO Associates, Inc. (ESCO) in 2009 along an <br />approximate three mile stretch of Little Grassy Creek within the Peabody Sage Creek Mine <br />(PSCM) permit area. These activities were conducted to secure a Nationwide Permit for specific <br />dredge and fill activities necessary for implementing water control plans proposed by PSCM in <br />accordance with permitting the Sage Creek Mine under CDRMS rules. In February 2010, the <br />US Army Corps of Engineers (COE) issued a Preliminary Jurisdictional Determination for the <br />delineated Little Grassy Creek wetlands. The largest extent of the delineated wetlands lies west <br />of the PSCM mine access road, south of the shop facilities and downstream of the Pond 002 <br />outfall. The wetland is characterized by various phases ranging from inundated to very wet most <br />of the year with obligate wetland species present to more xeric phases with facultative plant <br />species that can occur in this phase but may also be found in non - wetlands. The wetlands were <br />characterized as having the appropriate hydrophytic vegetation, hydric soils and hydrologic <br />system characteristics as per the Regional Supplement to the Corps of Engineers Wetland <br />Delineation Manuals: Arid West Region and Western Mountains, Valleys and Coast Region <br />(COE 2006 and 2008). <br />A significant area of the more xeric phase of the wetland occurs in the outer areas of the wetland <br />location described above. The intent of this project is to enhance these more xeric phases of the <br />wetland by encouraging more mesic conditions, lengthening the period of saturated soil <br />conditions, and encouraging more obligate wetland species establishment with no physical <br />impacts to the wetland. Increasing water distribution and retention time will facilitate wetland <br />enhancement and provide additional treatment to water leaving the site. In late March and early <br />April of 2013, straw bales were strategically placed in select areas of the channel system in the <br />subject Little Grassy Creek wetland located mostly in the central portion of the wetland. <br />Additionally, lines of bales or wings were placed in select locations perpendicular from the <br />channel for variable distances. The bales are 4'x2'x2' weed -free wheat straw and number <br />approximately 270 bales. Wheat straw was used because wheat cannot tolerate these wet <br />conditions and volunteering should not occur. <br />PSCM Permit App. 2.04 -147 Revision 12/17/09 <br />