Henry Mountain Coal Field, Garfield County, Utah
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Rehabilitation Potential for the Henry Mountain Coal Field BLM LIBRARY I 88018645 A" ^w^ U.S. Department of Interior • Bureau of Land Management • EMRIA Report No. 15 Prepared by Utah State University • 1978 - BLM UBRARY ENERGY MINERAL REHABILITATION INVENTORY AND ANALYSIS HENRY MOUNTAIN COAL FIELD Garfield County, Utah Prepared by Utah State University and Utah State University Foundation Logan, Utah 50777 -101 REPORT DOCUMENTATION 1. REPORT NO. 3. Recipient's Accession No. PAGE BLM/YA/TR-78/15 4. Title and Subtitle 5. Report Date Energy Mineral Rehabilitation Inventory and Analysis May 15, 1978 Henry Mountain Coal Field. 7. Author(s) 8. Performing Organization Rept. No. Cyrus M. McKell and Associates of Institute for Land 9. Performing Organization Name and Address Rehabilitation 10. Project/Task/Work Unit No. Utah State University 11. Contract (C) or Grant(G) No. Logan, Utah 84322 (C y"A-512-CT6-258 (G) 12. Sponsoring Organization Name and Address 13. Type of Report & Period Covered Bureau of Land Management EMRIA Staff, Bldg. 50 Final Denver Federal Center 14. Lakewood, Colorado 80225 15. Supplementary Notes Geological Survey Coal Quality Report Soil Conservation S. Soil Survey of Henry Mountain Resource Area 16. Abstract (Limit: 200 words) This report notes and summarizes known baseline information relative to the coal deposits in the Henry Mountain Resource area in South Central Utah. Findings from chemical and biological analyses of eight geologic cores obtained from the overburden are correlated with field plantings on geologic outcrops and representa- tive soils identified by a soil conservation service soil survey. Potential for rehabilitation is discussed and recommended procedures are presented. 17. Document Analysis a. Descriptors 0510 Environmental Surveys 0807 Coal Deposits 1407 Reclamation b. Identifiers/Open-Ended Terms Arid lands rehabilitation potential Evaluation of rehabilitation potential in arid region Vegetation establishment recommendations c. COSATI Field/Group 18. Availability Statement 19. Security Class (This Report) Release unlimited and available through BLM, Utah State Office, Salt Lake City, 20. Security Class (This Page) Utah fi4im (See ANSI-Z39.18) See Instructions on Reverse OPTIONAL FORM 272 (4-77) (Formerly NTIS-35) Department of Commerce FOREWORD This report was prepared by staff members of Utah State University working as consultants to Utah State University Foundation. The profes- sional team consisted of the following: Cyrus M, McKell, Plant Ecologist and Team Leader Jerry Fuhriman, Landscape Architect Gerald F, Gifford, Rangeland Hydro! ogist Steven G, Richardson, Plant Research Technician Alvin G, Southard, Soil Scientist Gordon Van Epps, Land Rehabilitation Specialist J. Stewart Williams, Geologist Gar Workman, Wildlife Specialist Administrative support was provided by: Kent Henderson, Manager, USU Foundation Paul Hul linger, Director, USU Foundation Additional review of the report were by: Don D. Dwyer, Range Scientist Roland Jeppson, Civil Engineer Wesley Maughan, Rural Sociologist Neil West, Plant Ecologist Glenn Wilde, Editor The purpose of this report was to assemble and summarize known base- line information relative to the Henry Mountain resource area and to present findings and recommendations from specific studies on suitability of geologic overburden and soils to support a rehabilitation program should the coal resource be developed. 11 TABLE OF CONTENTS I . SUMMARY 1 A. Introduction 2 B, Local Information 3 C. CI imate 5 D. Geology 5 E. Coal 7 F. Soil 7 G. Vegetation 9 H. Hydrology 9 I. Wildlife 10 J. Visual 11 K. Present Land Use 11 L. Objectives of Reclamation 12 M. Recommendations for Reclamation 12 INTRODUCTION 16 A. Purpose 18 B. Objectives 18 C. Authority 19 D. Responsibility 19 E. Location 21 F. Historical Perspective 24 G, Socioeconomic Factors 27 H. Developments in the Region 29 I. Land Status 31 J. Mineral Status 33 PHYSICAL PROFILE 35 A. CI imate 36 B. Physiography 41 C. Topography 42 D. Geology 45 E. Coal 74 F. Soils 80 G. Vegetation 102 H. Sedimentation 108 I. Hydrology and Water Supply 128 J. Wildlife 138 K. Cultural 141 L. Archaeology 141 M. Visual Prominence 142 Ill IV. PRESENT LAND USE 153 A. Grazing 154 B. Recreation 161 C. Watershed 163 D. Wildlife 163 V. OBJECTIVES OF RECLAMATION 165 A. Legal Requirements 166 B. Management Framework Plan, BLM, Richfield District 170 C. Limitations and Potentials in the Objectives for Reclamation 170 VI. RECOMMENDATIONS FOR REHABILITATION 172 A. Potential for Rehabilitation 173 B, Recommendations for Rehabilitation 176 VII. LITERATURE CITED 198 VIII. APPENDIX 204 A. Detailed descriptions of geologic cores for holes 15, 3, 4, 5, 2, 1, and 7, Listed in order of location from West to East on the study site. 205 B. Coal Quality Henry Mountains Field EMRIA Study Area by Joseph R. Hatch and Ronald H. Affolter U.S. Geological Survey, Denver, Colorado March 10, 1978. 218 C. Soil descriptions of units mapped by the Soil Conservation Service in their 1977 soil survey of the Henry Mountains coal resource area. Terms used in the following descriptions are defined in the report. D. Computer-created maps showing eye-level and 50-foot high visibility potential of various locations related to possible mining activities. (Figure 43 in report shows the relative positions of these points), 254 E. 1. Scientific and common names of plants referred to in the Henry Mountains coal field EMRIA study, 274 2. A hypothetical list of common and scientific names of fauna of the Henry Mountains taken from Durrant (1952), Behle et al (1975) and Stebbins (1966). 275 IV LIST OF TABLES Table Page 1. Yearly visitation totals at selected national parks, monuments in the Western United States, 30 2. Actual and predicted precipitation at various elevations in the Henry Mountains coal region. (Data from Henry Mts. Unit Resource Analysis, BLM). 37 3. Monthly precipitation at various locations in the Henry Mountains Planning Unit (Computed by B,L,M, from U,S. Weather Bureau Data). 38 4. Years with below or above average pre- cipitation at Hanksville, Utah (Eleva- tion 4300 ft.; 1931-42 and 1945-72). 39 5. Monthly temperatures at various locations in the Henry Mountains Planning Unit (computed from U.S. Weather Bureau Data by BLM). 40 6. Generalized section of sedimentary rocks exposed in the Henry Mountains region, 47 7. Description of surface section of Pete Steele Bench escarpment as measured in two segments north of the road in SW 1/4 Sec. 19 (T 31 S R 9 E), Measurements by handlevel, Section starts on top of prominent white sandstone ledge in coal section. For particle size analysis of surface samples, see the following table, 56 8. Particle size analysis of samples collected on surface section. Determinations were made in USU soils laboratory, 57 9. Lithology of geologic cores according to percentage of rock types in cores. Order of location is from west to east at study site. 58 10. Chemical analyses of drill core samples and soil surface samples from field sites. 67 V Table Page 11. Top yields of Russian wildrye after 60 days growth 1n the greenhouse on crushed drill core samples and soils surface materials from the Henry Mountains coal field, 73 12. Depth of sampled coal and thickness of sampled beds. 79 13. Classifications of soils and map symbols used, 81 14. Soil legend. 82 15. Analytical data from major soils in the vicinity of Pete Steele Bench and Wildcat Mesa. 86 16. A general assessment of the soils described in the Henry Mountains resource area soil survey for properties important to land rehabilitation, 87 17. Suitability ratings of soils as plant growth media for distrubed land rehabilitation. 88 18. Suitability of soils for rehabilitation (See Table 13 for explanation of suitability ratings), 90 19. Percent survival of transplants on six field sites after five months (Planted April 14, 1977). 99 20. A comparison of growth in greenhouse and field survival of Russian wildrye on surface outcrop materials and soils of the Henry Mountains coal field study area, 101 21. Ground cover estimates for vegetation types adjacent to reclamation study sites within the Coal Lease Block Steele Butte Allotment Henry Mountain Resource Area, 1977, Data are from Bureau of Land Management, Allot- ment Management Plan, 105 22. Water quality parameters in the Colorado River Basin evaluated from storet data, 110 VI Table Page 23. Nevada range! and communities for which erosion rate estimates are available (Trieste 1977), 117 24. Site characteristics for mined areas in Utah for which soil erosion data exist. 118 25. Site characteristics for mined areas in Utah. 119 26. List of locations of chained and unchained pi nyon- juniper communities in central and southern Utah for which soil erosion estimates exist. 120 27. Different geologic types for which soil erosion data exist. 121 28. Records of selected wells that draw water from Navajo sandstone, Henry Mountains area. 132 29. Chemical analyses of five wells in Henry Mountains showing the range of values reported. 134 30. Infiltration rates (f ) by geologic-soil types. 28 minute infiltrometer runs of 2 1/2 ft .2 plots, summer, 1975 in the Price River Basin, Utah. 137 31. Range vegetation types and conditions on Steele Butte Allotment. 156 32. Recreational use of National Parks Service parks and campgrounds in the Henry Mountain region (Data from Agency 1976 Recreation Reports.) 162 33. Suitability of various plant species for rehabilitation of the Henry Mountains coal field. 184 B-l USGS sample number, hole number,