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_,_ <br />• • III IIIIIIIIIIIIIIII <br />999 <br />April 25,1996 <br />On April 25, 1996 I walked over all the roads, fills and mine areas on the Mid <br />Continent permit area to determine exactly what is feasible and what isnt for <br />reclamation. <br />-Weeds did not appear to be a problem except in one spot where there was a <br />large patch of burdock <br />-The fill slopes on the roads were generally covered with vegetation but the <br />cut slopes were bare. This is probaly due to their unstable nature ie 60-80 <br />degree slopes. To revegetate the roads will require cutting back the fill <br />slopes which is feasible on some of them. Others will need' to use the <br />overburden pile in combination with pulling back the fill material to reduce <br />the slopes. <br />-The drainages will need to be reestablished across the roads otherwise they <br />will eventually cut their way through. <br />-The upper mine bench is mostly solid rock. Spreading some Indian ricegrass <br />on it may occupy available niches and keep weeds out. <br />-The lower bench may have some depth to it. It needs to be leveled to stop <br />the ponding and permit drainage. The pond will just be a weed hole. It maybe <br />possible to reestablish some oak on the bench but first need to know depth to <br />solid rock. The size of the lower bench will be reduced by at least 1/3 when <br />all the fines are removed. <br />-There are some unstable scree boulders on the slope above the lower mine <br />bench that must be removed. There is also some rotten rock which must be <br />scaled. <br />-The verticle rock walls will just have to weather. There is nothing Chat is <br />economically feasible to do to them. <br />-The numerous 55 gallon barrels have all had the caps removed and turned <br />upside down. It is not possible to determine how much oil drained out but <br />could be considerable. This oil soaked material must be dug up and disposed <br />of in a permitted facility. There are two 5 gallon pails of hydraulic fluid <br />that are cracked and spilling oil. Evidence of same will be given to the BLM. <br />-The burdock patch must be sprayed. Mid-Continent will need to submit a <br />Pesticide Use Proposal for this work. <br />-A culvert is needed where the mine road leaves the Transfer road to drop <br />runoff to undisturbed vegetation to stop the ongoing erosion there. <br />-Zf it is feasible to bring a snowmobile trail across the mine area, this must <br />be taken into account in the final design of the rehab. <br />-The overburden areas can probally be revegetated over time without using <br />either the sludge or sawdust but it will be much slower. Weed control will <br />have to be an integral part of the plan. <br />