17.24.1824    TOPSOILING

(1) All suitable topsoiling materials, as approved by the department, shall be removed from the mine site location area before significant disturbance occurs.   Removal shall precede each step of the construction operation.   The operator shall indicate in the reclamation plan the equipment and method used in salvage and redistribution.

(2) Stockpiles of salvaged topsoiling material shall be located in an area where they will not be disturbed by ongoing construction operations and will not be lost to wind erosion and surface runoff.   All unnecessary compaction and contamination of the stockpiles shall be eliminated.   Once stockpiled it should not be rehandled until replaced on regraded disturbances.   The department may require immediate planting of an annual and/or perennial crop on stockpiles for the purposes of stabilization. Proposed stockpile locations shall be indicated on the map submitted as part of an application for a permit.

(3) Stockpiled topsoiling materials shall be replaced on all areas to be seeded within a 90 day period prior to revegetative seeding or planting.   Extreme care shall be exercised to guard against erosion during application and thereafter.   In the case of abandoned roads, the roadbeds shall be ripped, disced, or otherwise conditioned before topsoil is replaced.   The department may prescribe additional alternate conditioning methods for the reclamation of abandoned roadbeds.

(4) If necessary, redistributed topsoiling materials shall be reconditioned by discing, ripping, or other appropriate methods.   Gypsum, lime, fertilizer, or other amendments may be added in accordance with ARM 17.24.701 through 17.24.703, and/or as stated in the approved reclamation plan.

(5) Regraded surfaces shall be left roughened in final contour grading to eliminate slippage zones that may develop between deposited topsoiling materials and heavy textured surfaces.   The operator shall take all measures necessary to assure the stability of topsoil on graded slopes.

 

History: 82-4-112, MCA; IMP, 82-4-125, MCA; NEW, Eff. 4/4/75; TRANS, from DSL, 1996 MAR p. 2852; AMD, 2024 MAR p. 260, Eff. 2/10/24.