A team of researchers at the University of Wyoming are studying how mine reclamation progresses over time.
Kristina Hufford, associate professor in the Department of Ecosystem Science and Management, recently received a three-year, $450,000 National Science Foundation (NSF) grant for a project titled “Environmental Sustainability of Alternative Mine Reclamation Practices: An Assessment of Ecological Function, Hydrologic Response, and Economic Viability.” Co-principal investigators include Roger Coupal, professor of agricultural and applied economics; Fabian Nippgen, associate professor of ecosystem science and management; and Noriaki Ohara, associate professor of civil and architectural engineering.
Geomorphic reclamation recreates the topography and hills of the surrounding landscape, as opposed to traditional reclamation, which creates a more uniform landscape characterized by steep, linear slopes.
Previous research conducted by Hufford and graduate student Kurt Fleisher indicates that geomorphic reclamation can result in higher species diversity, more native shrubs, and less erosion than traditional reclamation methods.
Most past research has focused on comparing geomorphic reclamation to traditional reclamation. In contrast, this project will study whether sites reclaimed with geomorphic methods provide the same ecosystem services as un-mined rangeland and how long it takes these sites to recover and stabilize.
“By examining changes in vegetation, hydrologic function, and overall site stability over time, we aim to understand how reconstructing landforms at former mining sites can improve future reclamation strategies,” says Hufford.
The research will take place in the Gas Hills, an abandoned uranium mine in Fremont County reclaimed under the Wyoming Department of Environmental Quality’s Abandoned Mine Land program.
The UW researchers will compare Gas Hills locations that underwent restoration over a decade ago to areas in the Gas Hills that recently began the restoration process to model how sites change over time. The scientists will then compare geomorphic restoration sites to nearby un-mined sites.
The four UW faculty members leading the project will each study different indicators of ecosystem health. Coupal will research ecosystem services and economic impacts, while Nippgen will focus on hydrological function and erosion. Hufford will study vegetation and plant species diversity. Ohara will investigate the distribution of snow in reclaimed sites.
The NSF grant will also support two UW graduate students and several undergraduate students.
To learn more about the new project, contact Hufford at (307) 766-5587 or khufford@uwyo.edu.
