Topsoil handling
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Photo Library: Topsoil handling |
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Today this Southern Indiana coal mine has been reclaimed and the owner is farming the land just as he did before the mining and reclamation operation. The soils on this mine site were reclaimed to prime agricultural conditions. This resulted in continued high yields and no loss of crop productivity due to the mining and reclamation. Photos 110 and 111 are taken at the same reclaimed mine site. Photo 109 (173 KB file)
The mining at this operation came within 50 feet of the property line around this house and barn. The careful work by the mine operator prevented any damage to the buildings during or after the mining. Today their rural setting at the edge of the farm is just as it was before the mining and reclamation. Photo 111 (173 KB file)
Just three years before this photo was taken the entire site, with exception of the land immediately surrounding the house and barn, was an active coal mine. With reclamation complete and farming resumed, it is difficult to identify which land was mined and reclaimed and which was not. Photo 110 (149 KB file)
The removal and replacement of all topsoil is required by the Surface Mining Law unless it is demonstrated that selected subsoil or spoil is better suited to grow plants. Topsoil is removed as a separate layer before mining and is either spread on nearby regraded areas or, if necessary, temporarily stockpiled. Here the dark, organic-rich topsoil is being spread on the lighter colored subsoil. Enlarged Photo (100 KB file)
Prime farmland topsoil and subsoil is handled with special care by using spreading techniques that minimize compaction that would hinder root penetration and water absorption by new seedlings. At this active Indiana coal mine the topsoil and subsoil were removed using hydraulic shovels and haul trucks. The segregated soil was immediately hauled back to the reclamation area, dumped, and graded. This equipment combined with the direct haul-back method, reduces compaction, a serious problem in valuable prime farmland soil.
Enlarged Photo (21 KB file)
Topsoil removal and handling are especially critical in the Midwest where prime farmland must be restored to its former productivity level. After the final grading of spoil, the topsoil at this site was hauled to the reclamation area and spread evenly over the land by bulldozers. The mining company replaced all the soil to prime farmland depths (40 inches), even though much of the acreage was classified non-prime farmland where soils could have been replaced at the 12-inch depth required for non-prime farmland. However, the operator's commitment to extra soil replacement has restored the land to a level capable of supporting a wide variety of current and future agricultural uses. Enlarged Photo (16 KB file) 
The success of this soil handling method can be measured by the land's crop productivity. Crops grown on this reclaimed farmland have consistently been above the required yields and the land is indistinguishable from the surrounding Southern Indiana landscape.
Enlarged Photo (20KB file)
Before mining at this Kentucky operation, topsoil was removed and stored for use in reclaiming the site. Since the topsoil is so vital to the success of the reclamation, it is carefully separated and marked. Here an Office of Surface Mining reclamation specialist inspects the temporary vegetation cover that prevents erosion and degradation of the stored topsoil.
With the topsoil replaced and the reclamation completed, the land is returned to its original agricultural use. The topsoil at this reclaimed mine site was handling with special care by using spreading techniques that prevented any compaction of the soil. Compaction of the soil during reclamtion would have hindered root penetration and water absorption by the new seedlings. The new corn crop in this photo produced yields that were equal to the land owners pre-mining corn crops. Enlarged Photo (110 KB file)
Each year, the Director's Award recognizes outstanding achievement in a special area of reclamation. The 1999 Director's Award goes to TXU for their exemplary prime farmland reclamation at the Monticello Winfield and Big Brown Mines located in Eastern Texas.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture identifies prime farmland as a unique and valuable national resource. Under the Surface Mining Law special care must be taken during mining and reclamation to ensure its long-term productivity. TXU not only reclaimed existing prime farmland soils, they improved soils during reclamation that resulted in an additional 9,000 acres of highly productive prime farmland. Enlarged Photo (20 KB file)
Reclamation improved the topsoil
Increased production on the reclaimed land
Prime farmland soil increased after reclamation
Most native East Texas soils are sandy and have clay layers that prevent root development and water movement. During mining and reclamation the layers are broken up and mixed, now the reclaimed soils have consistent texture that encourages deep root development and improved water holding capacity.
Enlarged Photo (20KB file)
The crop yields on the reclaimed soils consistently outperform the unmined native soils. Here we have outstanding reclamation along with the development of a soil handling technique that has wide-spread future application. Estimates show that the increased potential production gained from the improved soils at the Big Brown Mine could conservatively boost the county's agricultural economy by $21 million over the next 20 years as well as provide additional food products. Enlarged Photo (30 KB file)
Of the approximately 22,400 acres which have been reclaimed at both these mine sites, about 5,100 acres of the pre mine area qualified as prime farmland soils, but approximately 14,000 acres meet the prime farmland qualifications after reclamation, an increase in prime farmland soils of about 9,000 acres.
