RECLAMATION SUCCESS

Highway #418 Sand Mine

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Reclaimed plant site

 Ashmore Brothers is a paving business located in the upstate of South Carolina. The Highway #418 Sand Mine supplied river sand for their asphalt operation from 1990 to 1997. river sand was pumped from a dredge in the Enoree River to a screening plant on a leased 5-acre tract of land. Organic debris was removed with a coarse screen and stockpiled to made soil amendments for roadside vegetation at paving sites. The wash water discharge was returned to the river without the sand and debris. The mining of river sand was phased out in 1998 and reclamation was initiated. The site was nominated for the Interstate Mining Compact Commission’s 2000 reclamation award.
The site was carefully graded both to control stormwater and to direct possible river floodwaters off-site. A secondary discharge point was developed along the service road formerly used to maintain the dredge and slurry lines. The sandy soils were fertilized and seeded immediately after final grading. All the Best Management Practices have been successful in controlling erosion from this site and reducing non-point source discharge pollution. Ashmore Brothers incorporated into its overall erosion control program the planting of cover crops and the contouring of the site with stabilization of the riverbank discharge points. Reclamation vegetation at the Highway #418Sand Mine provides food for wildlife including Canada geese, turkey, and deer.

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Sediment basin filled and graded

 Improvements, which benefited the land-owner, included complete regarding of the site to eliminate the principal discharge point, protection of the river bank at the discharge points, access for hunting, protection of several sweet gum trees, access to a lower river terrace, and stabilizing the haul road. Vegetation is stable with no significant bare spots.

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