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Home , Grade (slope), Land reclamation

543 - 1

NATURAL RESOURCES CONSERVATION SERVICE CONSERVATION PRACTICE STANDARD

LAND RECLAMATION, ABANDONED MINED (Ac.)

CODE 543

DEFINITION necessary for dust control in the plans and specifications. Reclamation of land and water areas adversely affected by past mining activities Site Preparation. Properly identify areas for preservation including those containing desirable trees, shrubs, grasses, stream PURPOSE corridors, natural springs, historic structures or • Stabilize abandoned mined areas to other important features. decrease erosion and sedimentation, Remove trees, logs, brush, rubbish and other support desirable and improve debris from construction areas that can offsite water quality and or quantity interfere with reclamation operations. Dispose • Maintain or improve visual and of these materials so they will not create a functional quality resource problem or interfere with reclamation activities and the planned . • Protect public health, safety and general welfare Remove or bury materials that will adversely affect water quality or plant growth. Bury materials containing heavy metals below CONDITIONS WHERE PRACTICE APPLIES the root zone, or add suitable soil amendments This practice applies to abandoned mined land to minimize the negative effect of this material. that degrades the quality of the environment overhanging rocks walls to ½ horizontal and prevents or interferes with the beneficial to one vertical slope or flatter before placing uses of soil, water, air, plant or animal backfill against the wall. In the plans and resources, or endangers human health and specifications, identify the thickness and safety. density of lifts for fill material to limit the deep of precipitation and to limit CRITERIA settlement of the completed fill to acceptable levels, based on the planned land use. General Criteria Applicable to All Purposes Removal and Placement of Material for Develop a reclamation plan that is consistent Final Cover. Salvage, stockpile and protect with the site capability, the planned land use soil materials from the site that are suitable for and the landowner’s conservation objectives. use as final cover material. Control prohibited Include practices necessary to reclaim and noxious and/or invasive plant species in the stabilize the mined areas to prevent further stockpile area. Use Conservation Practice degradation of soil, water, air, plant and animal Standard 595, Pest Management for guidance resources. to control noxious and invasive plants. Dust Control. Control the generation of Reconstructed must meet the particulate matter and fugitive dust during requirements for the specified land use on at removal and replacement of soil and other least 80 percent of the area. Soils in the materials. Detail the practices and activities

Conservation practice standards are reviewed periodically and updated if needed. To obtain NRCS, NHCP the current version of this standard, contact your Natural Resources Conservation Service State Office or visit the electronic Field Office Technical Guide. August 2006 543 - 2 remaining areas must be suitable for Use local NRCS criteria for seedbed stabilization and revegetation. preparation, seeding rates, planting dates, depths and methods. Spread the final cover material over the graded areas to the depth specified in the reclamation Restoration of Borrow Area. If cover or fill plan. The final slope must permit application material is taken from areas outside the of needed conservation and management reclamation site, and shape the borrow practices to keep soil losses within planned area for proper , and revegetation to levels. If settlement is likely to interfere with control erosion. the planned land use, surface drainage or If the cover material is taken from adjacent water disposal, must compensate for expected land, the from the borrow area must be settlement during final . stockpiled separately and replaced after the Erosion and Sediment Control during borrow area is restored for its intended Construction. Plan and implement purpose. conservation practices that will decrease If the borrow area is prime farmland, remove erosion and trap sediment onsite during and stockpile the A and B soil horizons construction to limit offsite damages from separately by horizon (or the B and C soil sedimentation to acceptable levels. horizons if applicable). Replace the soil Runoff Control. Plan and implement runoff horizons on the borrow area in the natural control practices to control erosion for final sequence to a thickness that will restore the stabilization of the site. The practices selected original soil productivity. Treat the borrow area must be compatible with the final planned land to meet the requirements of the Land use of the site. Reconstruction, Currently Mined Land, 544 Conservation Practice Standard. Establishment of Vegetation. Do site preparation, planting and seeding at a time Additional Criteria to Maintain or Improve and in a manner to ensure survival and growth Landscape Visual and Functional Quality of the selected species. In the plans and specifications, identify the criteria for Reclaim the site to maintain or improve visual successful establishment of vegetation such quality based on the scenic quality of the as minimum percent ground/canopy cover, reclaimed site as as the function of the percent survival or stand density. site for the end land use. Plan the reclamation to be compatible with the and land Apply soil amendments and or plant nutrients cover of the adjacent landscape. Focus on as appropriate, according to the requirements areas of high public visibility and those offering of Conservation Practice Standard 590, direct or indirect human and benefits. Nutrient Management. If the recommended fertilizer rate exceeds the criteria in Grade and shape spoil piles and borrow areas Conservation Practice Standard (590) Nutrient to blend with the adjacent landscape Management, use appropriate mitigating topography to the extent practicable. practices to reduce the risk of nutrient losses Develop a planting plan that mimics the from the site. species, arrangement, spacing and density of Select plant materials suitable for the specified plants growing on adjacent . end land use according to local climate Choose native species of potential, site conditions and local NRCS vegetation and other plant materials where criteria. Identify in the plans and specifications practical. Arrange plantings to screen views, the species, rates of seeding or planting, delineate open space, act as windbreaks, minimum quality of planting stock, such as serve as parkland, provide wildlife or PLS or stem caliper, and method of protect stream corridors. establishment. Use only viable, high quality seed or planting stock.

NRCS, NHCP August 2006 543 - 3

Additional Criteria to Protect Public Health, reclaimed landscape, increasing edge effect Safety and General Welfare and diverse . Avoid monocultures of Reclamation plans must eliminate the safety vegetation if possible. hazards to the public from, erosion and water Reclaimed soils are often low in organic , high walls, pools of water with steep matter. The use of organic soil amendments side that are difficult to escape from, such as manure, compost, mulch or sewage land slide potential and underground mine sludge can contribute to the success of openings. vegetative establishment by increasing soil Design treatment alternatives that meet or organic matter. exceed the requirements of the following conservation practices based upon the site Abandoned mine sites may contain buildings hazards; , or other structures either on or eligible for the Treatment, 453; Land Reclamation, Highwall National Register of Historic Places (NRHP). Treatment, 456, and/or; Mine Shaft and Adit Include a cultural resources (Section 106) Closing, 457. review of the site during planning to determine what actions need to take place. Structures that are on or eligible for the NRHP should be CONSIDERATIONS considered and recorded. Under NRHP The reclamation of abandoned mine lands regulations (36 CFR part 800), structures that provides an opportunity to increase carbon present a hazard may be removed or sequestration. Choose species such as deep destroyed after proper recording and rooted perennial grasses and trees to increase consultation with the State Historic the carbon sequestration potential of the Preservation Officer (SHPO) and appropriate reclaimed site. tribes,. The key to a successful restoration is often Every effort should be made to utilize native, dependent upon the proper placement of soils non-invasive vegetative species. that will best support vegetation. One means Consideration should be given to washing all to do this is to develop a detailed soil survey equipment utilized in the project activities for the project and proposed borrow areas. before leaving the site. Use the soil survey to identify the types and extent of soil materials and those that will best PLANS AND SPECIFICATIONS support vegetation. Prepare plans and specifications for each Soil permeability is often a problem on treatment unit according to the Criteria, reclaimed soils. Improve soil permeability after Considerations and Operation and placing backfill material by using tillage or Maintenance sections of this standard. deep ripping to decrease compaction and promote infiltration and root development. Do As a minimum, include the following not plan practices that promote infiltration if information in the plans and specification for seepage through cover materials has the the reclamation area: potential to increase acid mine drainage. • Location of the reclamation area Maintenance activities will need to be done on • Plans showing the final grading to take a regular basis after the initial reclamation to place on the reclamation area ensure success. The construction of stabilized access will allow access to the site for • The location of topsoil stockpiles maintenance without causing erosion • The location of erosion and sediment problems. control practices Reclaimed mine areas can provide important • Detail information for the installation of wildlife habitat. Improve the potential for erosion and sediment control practices wildlife habitat by establishing diverse vegetation types, including water in the • Detail information on the soil amendments to be applied to the site NRCS, NHCP August 2006 543 - 4

• Detail information on the species and REFERENCES arrangement of plant materials to be Soil Survey Division Staff. 1993. Soil survey planted on the site manual. Pp. 90-92. Soil Conservation Service. U.S. Department of OPERATION AND MAINTENANCE Handbook 18. Prepare an Operation and Maintenance plan National Cultural Resources Procedures that provides specific details concerning Handbook. 2003. USDA, Natural Resources conservation practices identified in the Conservation Service, Washington D.C. reclamation plan. As a minimum, include the National Agronomy Manual, Part 501, Water following items in the operation and Erosion. 2002. USDA Natural Resources maintenance plan. Conservation Service, Washington D.C. • Periodic checking of the site for areas National Agronomy Manual, Part 502, Wind where settlement may adversely affect Erosion. 2002. USDA Natural Resources drainage and land use. Conservation Service, Washington D.C. • Periodic checking of the site for bare Revised Universal Soil Loss Equation, Ver. 2 spots, eroded areas, areas of excessive (Rusle 2). 2004. USDA Natural Resources settlement and other areas where initial Conservation Service, Washington D.C. attempts to establish vegetation were not successful. Wind Erosion Equation (WEQ) Guidance Document. 2003. USDA Natural Resources • Periodic soil testing and checking of Conservation Service, Washington D.C. vegetation to determine if additional soil amendments are needed. in Mined Land Reclamation, LAN-1, 1983, National Technical • Maintenance of access roads. Information Service, USDA NRCS • Maintenance of drainage structures and Conservation Division, channels. Washington, D.C. • Periodic checking of the site for noxious Procedures to Establish Priorities in weeds and invasive species. Landscape , TR-65, 1978, National Technical Information Service, USDA • Control of vehicular traffic to minimize NRCS Conservation Engineering Division, disturbance to reclaimed areas. Washington, D.C.

NRCS, NHCP August 2006