The Hope Mine Restoration Project
The Hope Mine is an abandoned mine located within the White River National Forest approximately 6 miles south of the town of Aspen, CO. The site consists of a closed mine entrance, a mine bench and several waste mine rock outslopes that extend from the bench towards, and in several case to, Castle Creek. Castle Creek is the main drinking water supply for Aspen and there is concern by the U.S. Forest Service the City of Aspen, and local conservation group For The Forest that the tailings will catastrophically fail and impact drinking water quality.
The Hope Mine was selected as a demonstration trial for determining the effectiveness of biochar in a field setting, and was privately funded by For The Forest. The Hope Mine provided an opportunity to evaluate several particular issues to the field application of biochar, including managing large volume of a fine grained material and the application on steep slopes typical of abandoned mine sites that do not allow for the use of machinery. The primary objective for the trial is to stabilize the slopes in order to protect Aspen’s water supply. Secondary objectives include:
Evaluate handling techniques for the application of biochar on abandoned mine land, including steep and inaccessible slopes;
Evaluate differing rates of biochar application;
Evaluate effectiveness of biochar with other amendments including compost and mychorrizal fungi; and
Evaluate carbon sequestration potential.
Evaluate handling techniques for the application of biochar on abandoned mine land, including steep and inaccessible slopes;
Evaluate differing rates of biochar application;
Evaluate effectiveness of biochar with other amendments including compost and mychorrizal fungi; and
Evaluate carbon sequestration potential.
The Coal Basin Restoration Project
Coal Creek drains a nearly 27-square mile watershed and enters the Crystal River at Redstone. Fifty years of large-scale coal mining occurred in Coal Basin, a watershed characterized by naturally steep, unstable and eroding slopes. The Colorado Division of Reclamation, Mining & Safety (CDRMS) completed a series of restoration projects in Coal Basin from 1994-2004 on nearly 650 acres of disturbed area directly connected to the Coal Creek stream system. Erosion from reclaimed mining areas, as well as sedimentation from naturally-occurring soil erosion and debris flows, are degrading water quality and stream habitat in Coal Basin and contributing to sedimentation issues and channel down cutting in the Crystal River. The White River National Forest, The Roaring Fork Conservancy, and Biochar Reclamation plan to enhance and maintain the reclaimed mine areas while also addressing the surrounding unstable slopes.
Coal Creek drains a nearly 27-square mile watershed and enters the Crystal River at Redstone. Fifty years of large-scale coal mining occurred in Coal Basin, a watershed characterized by naturally steep, unstable and eroding slopes. The Colorado Division of Reclamation, Mining & Safety (CDRMS) completed a series of restoration projects in Coal Basin from 1994-2004 on nearly 650 acres of disturbed area directly connected to the Coal Creek stream system. Erosion from reclaimed mining areas, as well as sedimentation from naturally-occurring soil erosion and debris flows, are degrading water quality and stream habitat in Coal Basin and contributing to sedimentation issues and channel down cutting in the Crystal River. The White River National Forest, The Roaring Fork Conservancy, and Biochar Reclamation plan to enhance and maintain the reclaimed mine areas while also addressing the surrounding unstable slopes.
Construction of Biochar Amended Alluvial Fan, USFS
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Alluvial Fan with new spruce plantings, USFS
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Restoration project area, EcoFlight
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