COURSE SYLLABUS
ENVP 455 or AGRN 455 - Reclamation of Disturbed Soils
Spring 2007
Course Description: This course integrates and applies the sciences of soils, geology, hydrology, chemistry, and biology to land disturbances (primarily in the context of surface mining) and reclamation. Course topics include history of mining and reclamation, coal resources and regions, mining methods, planning and assessing land disturbance impacts, overburden analysis and acid-base accounting, handling and placement of geologic materials, replacing soils, revegetating disturbed areas, evaluating water quality and other hydrologic problems, controlling and treating acid mine drainage, and developing productive post-mining land uses after reclamation.
Course Objectives: After taking this class, the student should be able to:
1) identify coal resources and understand coal extraction procedures;
2) explain soil and overburden sampling techniques and analyses;
3) select appropriate reclamation and revegetation techniques for specific disturbances;
4) understand acid mine drainage formation, control, and treatment;
5) ascertain the type and extent of pollution on a site, and develop methods and materials for amelioration.
Instructor: Dr. Jeff Skousen
Reclamation Specialist and Professor
1106 Agricultural Science
PH 293-6256; FX 293-2960, Email jskousen@wvu.edu
1. Format: Lecture, MWF, 12-12:50 pm.
2. Field Trips: Two half-day field trips will be held in March and April. You will be required to attend and participate, and write field-trip reports. If you cannot attend, you will be required to do an additional assignment (like a report) on a subject related to this course. All field trips require proof of medical insurance.
3. Required Readings:
Barnhisel, Darmody, and Daniels. 2000. Reclamation of Drastically Disturbed Lands. Agron. No. 41, American Society of Agronomy, Madison, WI.
Skousen, J.G. 2006. AGRON 455: Reclamation of Disturbed Soils. Course Notes. Can be purchased from NextPrint, across from Hibachi Japanese Steakhouse on University Avenue (at Collins Ferry Rd).
4. Additional Information and Exercises (suitable for testing) will be distributed as handouts during the semester.
5. Exams will be given on: February 1, March 1, March 29, and FINAL May 5, 3-5 pm.
6. Grading: 90-100= A, 80-89= B, 70-79= C, 60-69= D, <60= F.
Field Trip Reports = 10%; Problems = 30%; Hour Exams = 40% (13% each); Final Exam = 20%.
7. This syllabus is only a guideline for the student's convenience. The lecture schedule is approximate and an effort will be made to follow it. This syllabus does not constitute a contract between the student and any faculty member, administrative unit, or representative of WVU.