RESTORATION OF GRIZZLY BEAR AND WETLAND HABITATS AT THE ABANDONED SNAKE RIVER GRAVEL MINE, JOHN D. ROCKEFELLER, JR. MEMORIAL PARKWAY, WYOMING
English

Chris L. Walla, Daniel B. Adams
2006 Journal American Society of Mining and Reclamation  
The project is located within the John D. Rockefeller, Jr. Memorial Parkway and approximately two miles south of the Yellowstone National Park. Gravel mining within the Snake River Floodplain had created four large pits, several small pits, waste piles, debris dumps, and caused severe environmental degradation to over sixty-five acres of pristine riparian habitat. The entire project site was located within the Yellowstone grizzly Bear Recovery Area and was designated as a Management Situation I
more » ... area. In addition, it had seven species of concern within the project area that were either protected by the Endangered Species Act or were under consideration of such protection. The proposed actions to reclaim the site and restore wetlands were necessary to comply with the National Park Service policies, the Clean Water Act in accordance with the U. S. Army Corp of Engineers, the Environmental Protection Agency, and the Wyoming Department of Environmental Quality standards. Special factors that were addressed during the design phase included the complex hydrology of the site, the need to protect existing Grizzly Bear and species of concern habitat, and to promote survivability of herbaceous plant species and natural willow establishment. In order to reduce the impact to the Snake River, the reclamation grading plan included the reshaping of existing pits, creation of on-site channels, and construction of five on-site ponds. The final configuration of the ponds were constructed to reduce wave erosion, increase shoreline sinuosity, provide minienvironments for each specific herbaceous plant specie required, and duplicate the pattern of adjacent Snake River oxbows. A total of 602,000 wetland plants and 35,000 willow plugs were planted. After over a decade since mining activities ceased, the damage to the Snake River Floodplain, wetlands, and riparian ecosystem has been reclaimed in accordance with NPS management policies, legislative mandates and approved park planning documents.
doi:10.21000/jasmr06010763 fatcat:ipeilrplorebxj7ajtmada4jwu