STUDY NUMBER ; 17.1 



ORGANIZATION ; Headwaters Resource Conservation and Development 

 Project Area 



TITLE OF STUDY ; Reclamation Techniques for Heavy Metal Contam- 

 inated Pasturelands in Deer Lodge, Powell and Silver Bow Counties 



CONTACT ( S ) ; Ted Dodge, Headwaters Resource Conservation and 



Development Area Coordinator, Butte - 782-7333 



John Sonderegger, Montana Bureau of Mines and 

 Geology - 496-4159 



William M. Schafer, Schafer and Associates - 587- 

 3478 



OBJECTIVE ; Develop reclamation techniques for heavy metal con- 

 taminated pasturelands, while ensuring that changes in land use 

 do not negatively impact the surface and ground water resources 

 of the area. 



DURATION : August 1984 - October 1988 



CURRENT STATUS ; Test plots which will evaluate the success of 

 various combinations of tillage techniques, liming rates and 

 plant (forage) species, were established in 1985 at the Hazel 

 Spangler Ranch near Gregson. Soil chemistry measurements, in- 

 cluding extractable metal concentrations, were conducted prior 

 to and after the lime applications. Procedures for monitoring 

 impacts on ground water were evaluated. Emergence and survival 

 of various plant species was determined, but severe drought con- 

 ditions during the spring and summer of 1985 had a definite impact 

 upon interpretation of the results. After the evaluation of 

 plant survival the decision to maintain the original plots was 

 made. New dryland plots are currently being developed which 

 incorporates the findings of the original plots including estab- 

 lishment techniques, species, analyses, and ground water mon- 

 itoring. These plots have been limed, tilled and monitoring 

 equipment has been installed. 



FUTURE ACTIVITIES : Seeding of new plots is scheduled to be 

 competed in the spring of 1987. 



PUBLICATIONS AND REPORTS ' 



Lime and Tillage Effects on Soil Copper and Zinc Partitioning 

 and Vegetable Response in Acid Contaminated Agricultural Soils 

 in Southwestern Montana. A final project report submitted to 

 Ted Dodge, Headwaters R.C. & D. , Butte, Montana. Submitted by 

 Schafer and Associates, Bozeman, Montana, December 31, 1986. 



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