Rehabilitation of disturbed lands in California : a manual for decision-making

248 Pages·2003·15.7 MB·English

by  Newton, Gail A

Special Publication 123
OF DISTURBED
LANDS IN CALIFORNIA:
A Manual for Decision Making
UNIVERSITYLIBRARY
U.C. DAVIS
MAY 6 2003
\
CALIF DEPOS.
COV INFO. DEPT,
Gray Davis
Governor
State of California
Mary D. Nichols
Secretary
Resources Agency
DarrylYoung
Director
Department of Conservation
James F. Davis
State Geologist
California Geological Survey
Copyright California Department of Conservation, California Geological Survey, 2003. All rights reserved.
this publication may be reproduced without the written consent of the California Geological Survey.
REHABILITATION OF DISTURBED LANDS IN CALIFORNIA:
A MANUAL FOR DECISION-MAKING
By
GAIL A. NEWTON
DepartmentofConservation
OfficeofMineReclamation
801 K Street, MS09-06
Sacramento, CA 95814
and
CLAASSEN
V.P.
DepartmentofLand,AirandWaterResources
UniversityofCalifornia,Davis
Davis, CA95616-8627
2003
Digitized by the Internet Archive
I
in 2012 with funding from
University of California, Davis Libraries
http://archive.org/details/rehabilitationof123newt
TABLE CONTENTS
of
INTRODUCTION
1.0
1
1.1 Purpose and Scope 1
Why
1.2 Rehabilitate? 2
2.0 PLANNING FOR REHABILITATION 4
2.1 Project Scheduling 4
2.1.1 BIOLOGICAL SCHEDULE 4
EARTHWORKING SCHEDULE
2.1.2 4
2.1.3 LAND-USE PLANNING SCHEDULE 4
2.1.3.1 Zoning 5
2.1.3.2 Permitting 5
2.1.3.3 Stakeholders 5
2.2 Rehabilitation Potential 5
2.2.1 CLIMATE 5
ASPECT
2.2.2 6
TOPOGRAPHY
2.2.3 6
2.2.4 SOIL DEVELOPMENT/STRUCTURE 6
HYDROLOGY
2.2.5 6
2.2.6 LEVEL OF DISTURBANCEAND DEGREE OF ISOLATION 9
ECOLOGY
2.2.7 10
2.2.8 COMPETITIONAND HERBIVORY 11
WATERSHED PROCESSES
2.2.9 11
3.0 SOILSAND SOIL MANAGEMENT 15
3.1 What is a Soil? 15
3.2 Physical Characteristics 17
3.2.1 PARTICLE SIZEANDTEXTURE 17
3.2.2 PORE SIZE DISTRIBUTIONAND WATER HOLDING CAPACITY 19
3.2.3 COMPACTION 19
3.2.4 PHYSICAL EFFECTS RESULTING FROM SOILORGANIC MATTER 22
3.2.5 COARSE FRAGMENTS 23
3.3 Chemical Characteristics 23
3.3.1 ACIDITYANDALKALINITY(PH) 24
3.3.2 CATION EXCHANGE CAPACITY (CEC) 25
3.3.3 SALINITY 26
3.3.4 PLANTNUTRIENTAVAILABILITY 28
3.3.4.1 Nitrogen (N) 28
3.3.4.2 Phosphorus (P) 30
3.3.4.3 Potassium (K) 32
3.3.4.4 Calcium (Ca) 33
3.3.4.5 Magnesium (Mg) 33
3.3.4.6 Sulfur (S) 34
3.3.4.7 Micronutrients 34
3.3.4.7.0 Arsenic (As) 34
3.3.4.7.1 Zinc(Zn) 34
3.3.4.7.2 Manganese (Mn) 35
3.3.4.7.3 Iron(Fe) 35
3.3.4.7.4 Copper (Cu) 35
IV
3.3.4.7.5 Boron (Bo) 35
3.3.4.7.6 Molybdenum (Mo) 35
3.4 Soil Biology 35
3.4.1 PLANT RESIDUE DECOMPOSERS 36
3.4.2 MYCORRHIZALFUNGI 36
3.4.3 N-FIXATION 38
3.5 Soil Management,Testing, andAmending Techniques 38
3.5.1 MOVING SOILSWITH HEAVYMACHINERY 39
3.5.2 PLACEMENTOF SOIL MATERIALS WITH BENEFICIALTEXTURE 39
3.5.3 STOCKPILING TOPSOIL 39
3.5.4 SAMPLING FOR NUTRIENTANALYSIS OF GROWTH MEDIAOR SOIL 41
3.5.5 AMENDING 42
3.5.6 MULCHING 43
3.5.7 FERTILIZING 43
3.6 ANoteon Serpentine Soils and Mine Wastes 44
3.6.1 SERPENTINE SOILS 44
3.6.2 MINE WASTES 44
4.0 SLOPE PROTECTIONAND EROSION CONTROL 46
4.1 Grading Considerations 46
4.2 Techniques to Control Erosion and Sediment 47
4.2.1 MULCHES 48
4.2.2 SOILSTABILIZING COMPOUNDS (TACKIFIERS) 52
4.2.3 GRAVELMULCH 52
4.2.4 COVER CROPS 52
4.2.5 EROSION CONTROL BLANKETS 53
4.2.6 SEDIMENT RETENTION STRUCTURES 53
4.2.6.1 Straw Bale Check Dams 56
4.2.6.2 Silt Fences 56
4.2.6.3 Straw Wattles 57
4.2.6.4 Willow Wattles 58
4.2.6.5 Brushmattresses 59
5.0 PLANT MATERIALS: SELECTION, SOURCES,AND PLANTING 60
5.1 Selection of Species 60
5.1.1 DETERMININGTHE PLANTPALETTE 60
5.2 Plant Material Source 64
5.3 Selection of PropaguleType 66
5.3.1 SEED COLLECTION AND TREATMENT 66
5.3.1.1 Seed Collection 67
5.3.1.2 Drying and Cleaning 67
5.3.1.3 Seed Storage 67
5.3.1.4 Evaluating Seed Viability 68
5.3.1.5 Seed Pre-treatment for Germination 68
5.3.2 VEGETATIVE REPRODUCTION 68
5.3.3 CONTAINERIZED PLANTS 69
5.4 Planting Methods 70
5.4.1 DETERMINATION OF SEEDING RATES 70
5.4.2 METHODS OF SEEDING 71
5.4.3 DETERMINATION OF PLANTING SCHEMATIC FOR
CUTTINGSAND CONTAINERS
73
V
5.4.4 METHODS OF PLANT INSTALLATION 73
5.4.4.1 Container Stock 73
5.4.4.2 Transplantation 75
5.4.4.3 Cuttings, Sprigs, Rhizomes, and Plugs 77
5.4.4.4 Handling ofLive Plant Materials 77
5.4.4.5 Plant Protection from Predation and Competition 77
5.4.4.6 Storage/Hardening-off Facilities 81
NURSE CROPS
5.4.5 81
5.5 Irrigation 83
5.6 Inoculation with N-Fixing Bacteria or Mycorrhizal Fungi 84
5.7 Fertilization 84
PERFORMANCE STANDARDSAND MONITORING
6.0 86
6.1 Establishment-Phase Monitoring vs. Long-Term Monitoring 86
6.2 Performance Standards forVegetation 87
SETTING PERFORMANCE STANDARDSAND MONITORING
6.2.1
FOR PERFORMANCE STANDARDS 87
6.2.1.1 Selecting a Reference Site 87
6.2.1.2 Stratifying the SampledArea 88
6.2.1 .3 Determining theAppropriate Size ofthe Sample Plot,
the Species-Area Curve 88
6.2.1 .4 Determining the Number of Plots Needed toAchieve an
80% Confidence and Precision Level 89
6.2.1.5 Determining the Shape ofthe Plot 90
6.2.1.6 Determining Where to Put the Plots 90
6.2.1.7 Determining What Time of Year to Sample 91
6.2.2 SAMPLE PARAMETERS 91
6.2.2.1 Cover 91
6.2.2.2 Density 92
6.2.2.3 Species Richness 92
6.2.2.4 Plant Growth 93
6.2.2.5 Plant Mortality/Survival 93
6.3 Erosion Control Monitoring 93
6.4 Soils Monitoring 95
6.5 Reporting 96
6.6 Examples of MaintenanceActivities and Remedial Measures 97
6.6.1 EROSION CONTROL 97
6.6.2 WEED CONTROL 97
6.6.3 FERTILIZING 101
6.6.4 SUPPLEMENTALWATERING 101
6.6.5 REPLANTING 101
6.6.6 CONTROL OF ANTHROPOGENIC EFFECTSAND HERBIVORY 101
6.7 Test Plots (Field Trials) 101
6.7.1 PLACEMENT 103
6.7.2 TREATMENTS 103
6.7.3 PLOT LAYOUT: RANDOMAND REPLICATED 104
6.7.4 MONITORING OF TEST PLOTS 104
6.7.5 ANALYSES 106
6.7.6 NON-INTERFERENCE WITH TEST PLOTS 106
REFERENCES 108
VI
APPENDICES
APPENDIXA-ListofSpecies by Bioregion 113
APPENDIX B-Sample Monitoring Forms 221
APPENDIX C-Sample Outlinefora Rehabilitation Plan 224
APPENDIX D-Rehabilitation Plan Evaluation Checklist 227
SIDEBARS
AN EXPLANANTIONOFSIDEBARSPECIFICATIONS 9
AN EXPLANATIONOFSUCCESSION 10
MEASURINGCOMPACTION 22
ACID ROCKDRAINAGE 25
ASPECIFICATION FOR HARVESTINGANDSTOCKPILINGTOPSOIL 40
ASPECIFICATION FORTOPSOIL 40
ASPECIFICATION FORSOILNUTRIENTSAMPLING 40
ASPECIFICATION FORCOMPOSTDERIVED FROMYARDWASTE 42
ASPECIFICATION FORAMENDING 43
ASPECIFICATION FORPROTECTIONOFEXTANTVEGETATION 47
ASPECIFICATION FORRICE STRAWMULCH 49
ASPECIFICATION FORWOOD FIBERMULCH 50
ASPECIFICATION FOR PINE NEEDLE MULCH 51
ASPECIFICATION FORDUFFAPPLICATION 51
ASPECIFICATION FORSOILSTABILIZINGCOMPOUND 52
ASPECIFICATION FORGRAVELMULCH 54
ASPECIFICATION FOREROSION CONTROLBLANKETS 54
ASPECIFICATION FOR PLASTIC NETTING 54
ASPECIFICATION FORSTRAWBALE CHECK DAMS 56
ASPECIFICATION FORSILTFENCES 57
ASPECIFICATION FOR STRAWWATTLES 58
ASPECIFICATION FOR BRUSH MATTRESSES 59
COLLECTINGGUIDELINES 64
ASPECIFICATION FOR PLANTPROCUREMENT 66
ASPECIFICATION FORSEEDS 69
ASPECIFICATION FOR MULTI-STEPCOMPOSTAMENDMENT 74
ASPECIFICATION FOR2-STEPHYDROSEEDING/HYDROMULCHING 75
ASPECIFICATION FORSEEDING IN CONJUNCTION WITHASTRAWMULCH 75
ASPECIFICATION FORPROCURINGAND INSTALLINGCONTAINERS 78
ASPECIFICATION FORCACTUSTRANSPLANTING 81
ASPECIFICATION FORPROCUREMENTAND INSTALLATIONOFCUTTINGS 82
ASPECIFICATION FOR PLANTPROTECTION 83
AN EXAMPLE OF PERFORMANCE STANDARDS 88
STATISTICS 92
ASPECIFICATION FORAN EROSION CONTROLPERFORMANCE STANDARD 95
ASPECIFICATION FORAREPORTING REQUIREMENT 97
ASPECIFICATION FOR REPLANTING
101
FIGURES
Figure2.2.1: Mean annual precipitationforCalifornia 7
Asoil profilewith organicmatter 16
Soil particlesand organisms, showing aggregated particlesand voids 18
Figure 3.2.1b: Texturaltriangle 19
Figure 3.2.1c. Determining soil texture by hand 20
Figure3.2.4: Hierarchyofwaterstableaggregates (soil structure) 23
Figure 3.3.2 Generation ofcation exchange capacityon clays 27
Figure 3.3.4.1: N pools and sizes inAtriplex community 31
VII