HomeMy WebLinkAboutRESOURCE RECOVERY FARM, SAND & GRAVEL MINE - PDP/FDP - 17-99 - SUBMITTAL DOCUMENTS - ROUND 1 - PROJECT NARRATIVE (3)During mining, the top 18-24 inches of soil will be stripped, segregated, and stockpiled separately
as topsoil. The remaining overburden may be sold for construction fill or stockpiled separately for
substrate replacement prior to topsoiling. The pit will be mined to bedrock and compacted backfill
will be placed on the pit slopes and keyed into the bedrock. The sideslopes will then be graded.
Topsoil will be placed on the sideslopes to provide a seed bed, and furrows will be created
perpendicular to the sideslope gradient to capture precipitation and hold the seed. Slopes will be
varied to create a naturalistic appearance, and will not exceed 4:1. A range of 6-18 inches of
topsoil will be placed over the entire disturbed area during final grading.
All disturbed areas will be seeded. The reclamation seed schedules stem from the City's list of
native species, and were selected for their wildlife habitat value. The seed schedules contain
grasses, forbs, and woody vegetation. All are currently commercially available. Acceptable
substitutions will include only species native to the Fort Collins area and approved by the Natural
Resources Department. The wetland and upland seed schedules follow (see Tables E-1 and E-
2). Both contain some wetland and upland grass species in order to adapt to a variable
hydrologic regime, and so ensure revegetation of all areas. The wetland species selected include
those species adapted to marsh wetland, wet meadow wetland, and riparian environments.
Seeding will be accomplished by drilling. Wetlands or other areas not accessible to drilling
equipment will be hand broadcast. Where seed is hand broadcast, the seeding rates shown in the
attached seed schedules will be doubled. Revegetation of the RRF mined lands provides a prime
opportunity for an outdoor learning laboratory. Ongoing revegetation projects will be undertaken
by participants at the future visitor center in an effort to nurture a stewardship ethic and restore
ecosystems native to the Cache La Poudre river corridor. Therefore, the area will be seeded only
by the operator. This is also consistent with the operator's current reclamation obligation at East
Rigden.
City of Fort Collins - Resource Recovery Farm Sand and Gravel Mine i-3
Project Development Plan
Mine Plan
Each mining stage will be dewatered prior to excavation to allow mining in dry conditions. The
Mine Plan (Exhibit 4) depicts three stages to be mined and reclaimed at the RRF site over a 10
year period, beginning in the year 2001, with stripping and dewatering of the first stage
commencing in the year 2000. These stages are not necessarily chronological, but define areas
which will be mined discretely, thus minimizing disturbance over the entire mine site through the
fife of the mine. Mining will be coordinated with the phasing out of the City's resource recovery
operations. Due to a high overburden ratio in Stage 3, Stage 3 will be mined only if and when the
opportunity to use this overburden occurs.
A conveyor will be used to transport aggregate extracted from RRF to the processing plant at East
Rigden. Use of the conveyor will reduce the use of trucks and minimize impacts in the area.
Reclamation Plan
Compacted backfill will be applied to the pit sideslopes to minimize the inflow of groundwater.
Without this partial seal, a lake would form over the majority of the mined area. Some seep will
occur, creating a diverse hydrologic regime, and so a variety of plant communities including
wetland, riparian, upland, and some shallow aquatic areas are expected to establish on the pit
floor. Because the pit floor will be lower than the River, Boxelder Creek, and the adjacent lake to
the south, no outfall will be constructed.
The amount of seep which will occur is unknown, therefore the final hydrologic regime cannot be
entirely predicted. The Reclamation Plan (Exhibit 5) is, therefore, a conceptual representation of
the landform to be established following mining. It is expected that the final grades and water
surfaces will vary somewhat from the plan. The objective of final grading is to create a landform
which appears naturalistic and supports a variety of native plant associations and wildlife habitat.
The Reclamation Plan calls for creation of several 'oxbow slough' features. To create an accurate
representation of the River landform, aerial photographs of the River corridor and Boxelder Creek
were examined to determine the typical belt width and amplitude of the visible, historic meander
patterns.
To avoid disturbance to a sanitary sewer line, high ground which bisects Stages 2 and 3 will be
preserved. A drain pipe will be placed beneath this dike to allow drainage of Stage 3 to the low
end of the pit where seep will likely collect in a shallow lake. Evaporation from the lake surfaces
relative to the groundwater inflow rate will maintain the lake sizes. The goal is to consume no
more water through evaporation of exposed groundwater than was historically consumed by the
cultivated crops in this area. Thus, no augmentation obligation is expected. In accordance with
State Engineer requirements, when final reclamation is complete, the acreage of exposed water
and season of exposure will be quantified to determine the need for an augmentation plan. If
augmentation is required, the water rights associated with the Resource Recovery Farm will be
utilized. Currently, six shares of Lake Canal (Lake Canal Company) water (junior rights) supply
the Resource Recovery Farm parcel. This is augmented with CBT water.
City of Fort Collins - Resource Recovery Farm Sand and Gravel Mine i-2
Project Development Plan
Introduction and Overview
The City of Fort Collins (City) has been actively involved in comprehensive planning for the Cache
La Poudre River corridor within the City's urban growth area for some time. Recognizing the
strategic importance of gravel lands in the river corridor, the City initiated development of a
strategy plan for gravel mining in 1996. The 'Strategy for Gravel Lands Along the Poudre River'
(Strategy Plan) was developed by the consulting team of Anderson & Company, Hart
Environmental, and Bishop-Brogden Associates, Inc., and completed early in 1998. It
emphasizes mine reclamation consistent with the community's vision of the Poudre. Mining and
reclamation of a portion of the Resource Recovery Farm is the first project to be undertaken in the
implementation stage of the City's Strategy Plan.
The desire to mine and reclaim part of the Resource Recovery Farm property stems from an
interest in preserving significant natural resources which occur across the Poudre (River) from the
RRF site. A mature riparian woodland and an abandoned oxbow slough occur on the permitted
aggregate mine property known as East Rigden. A heron rookery has also established on the site
since mining began. East Rigden is a privately owned parcel, actively mined by Western Mobile
Northern, Inc., a subsidiary of Lafarge Corporation (Lafarge). The City, Lafarge, and the
landowner, Flatiron Companies, are in the process of negotiating an agreement to exchange the
aggregate resources at RRF for preservation of a portion of Lafarge's East Rigden mine parcel.
The Resource Recovery Farm (RRF) is a City -owned property near Prospect Road and Interstate
25. It is currently used as a facility for bio-solids application of urban waste on agricultural land.
Resource recovery operations will be moved to a new facility and phased out of this area over the
next several years, and mining will be phased into a portion of the parcel. The mine permit area
consists of a 174 acre portion of the 324 acre site. The Resource Recovery Farm will remain in
City ownership. The City of Fort Collins Natural Resources Department is the mine permit
applicant. The operator will be Lafarge. Material will be conveyed across the Poudre from RRF,
to the East Rigden plant for processing and sales.
Consistent with community values, the RRF reclamation plan is designed to minimize evaporative
loss of ground water, enhance biodiversity, and expand native wildlife habitat in the Poudre River
corridor. The site is contiguous to previously mined and reclaimed lands now owned by the City
and the Colorado State University (CSU) Environmental Learning Center (ELC). These lands
remain Natural Areas, managed for wildlife habitat and environmental education. Reclamation of
the RRF mine site will unify the reclaimed landscape and expand the ecosystem function and
value of these contiguous lands. Upon completion, the reclaimed lands will also provide an
extensive environmental education area and laboratory for a visitor center planned immediately
north of the Resource Recovery Farm. This center's mission is to provide information on the
area's natural resources and host environmental education activities, including interpretation of
the gravel mining heritage and the evolution of mine reclamation in the Poudre River corridor.
City of Fort Collins - Resource Recovery Farm Sand and Gravel Mine
Project Development Plan
Contents
Introduction and Overview.........................................................................................................i-1
PDP Application Form
Floodplain Use Permit Application Form
Part
1.0 Legal Description........................................................................................................ 1-1
2.0 Neighboring Property Owners.................................................................................... 2-1
3.0 Applicant.....................................................................................................................3-1
4.0 Property Owner.......................................................................................................... 4-1
5.0 _Conceptual Review.................................................................................................... 5-1
6.0 Planning Objectives.................................................................................................... 6-1
7.0 Mine and Reclamation Schedule................................................................................ 7-1
Tables
E-1 Wetland Seed Schedule...................................................................................:............i-4
E-2 Upland Seed Schedule..................................................................................................i-5
Plans/Maps
Context Diagram
1 of 4
Cover Sheet
2 of 4
Pre -Mining Conditions
3 of 4
Mine Plan
4 of 4
Reclamation Plan
1 of 1
Subdivision Plat
Appendices
A Colorado Division of Wildlife - Review Request
B Commercial Laboratories Geotechnical Report
C Stormwater Management Plan
D Traffic Impacts Assessment
E Recommendation for Protection of Adjacent Structures
0
Resource Recovery Farm
Sand and Gravel Mine
Project Development Plan
Submitted to:
Current Planning Department
City of Fort Collins
281 North College
P.O. Box 580
Fort Collins, Colorado 80522-0580
Prepared for.
Natural Resources Department
City of Fort Collins
281 North College
P.O. Box 580
Fort Collins, Colorado 80522-0580
Prepared by:
Anderson & Company
e c o p i a n n i n g
420 Sunset Street
Longmont, Colorado 80501
and
Hart Environmental
P.O. Box 1303
Boulder, Colorado 80306
July, 1999