SU0004149 - Laserfiche WebLink

Home Browse Search

cover evaporation losses in aggregate production would be furnished by an existing on-site 4 " irrigation well. All domestic water would also be provided by an on-site domestic well. ii Runoff from the row crops planted on the reclaimed land would be pumped to the natural l ` E drain at the northeast corner of the project site. On-site wells would be sampled for ' t d contamination yearly. Water table data from the wells would be recorded and monitored ; yearly. No in-stream mining would occur on the project site. Solis II Two types of soil have been identified on the project site- Zacharias clay loam, Class I ii irrigated; and Zacharias gravelly clay loam, Class II irrigated. Both soils are classified as I� ` Prime Farmland by the'California Department of Conservation and the United States Soil Conservation Service (now Natural Resources Conservation Service). Top soil ranges from one to five feet in depth. This overburden would be used for a five- foot soil berm along the property next to Koster Road. Most of the soil used in reclaiming the quarry would come from the reuse of silts and clay ('fines") removed during aggregate Ei processing. Fifteen percent of all the raw material quarried would be removed during k aggregate washing and be deposited in the recycle water ponds. This silt and clay would it �• E, be used for top soil during the quarry reclamation phase. Soil from the recycle ponds would cover the floor of the quarry with four to six feet of soil as well as the soil needed for the side slopes. The reclaimed soil on the quarry floor would support agricultural uses (row crops and small grains). Soil from the recycle ponds would be 90% passing the #200 sieve size, would have PH between 6.5 and 8, and would have low permeability. It is estimated that 500 pounds per acre of 16-16-16 fertilizer would be required to re-establish soil nutrient levels. Five years '-` of cover crop would be required to develop the needed organic content for good crop production into the future. Ei. Vegetation and Wildlife The existing use of the project site is for open space/agriculture (apricots) with one on-site residence. Much of the apricot orchard has recently been removed due to loss production caused by the age of the trees. Replanting would depend on the action of this project. li The existing apricot trees located in the areas defined as Phase II and III of the proposed mining plan (refer to Figure 3-3) would likely remain on-site until required as part of the quarry. The area is semi-arid with seven to ten inches of precipitation per year and 4 ` requires irrigation for any crop other than winter grains. Both surface and groundwater are available for irrigation. Wildlife of the area includes rodents, rabbits, and- game 'birds. Threatened, and endangered species potentially in the area of the project site are described in Section 4.7 and listed in Section 7.1 (see Fish and Wildlife Service Species Lists for Proposed Quarry' Excavation in December 11, 1996 letter to Kerry Sullivan). There are no existing waterways or ponds on the project site for fish or amphibians to inhabit. Draft Environmental Impact Report 3-5 ER-96-3 I i