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Decision Memo Vail Mountain Ski Resort Tea Cup Snowmaking Well USDA Forest Service Holy Crass Ranger DistrYCt, White River National Forest Eagle County, Colorado Background As a portion of the 2007 Summer Construction Flan, Vail Mountain Ski Resort has proposed a low capacity snowmaking well at the bottom of Tea Cup Bawl. The well, with associated snowmaking equipment, would produce approximately one acre foot of water per year and would operate during the months of November and December as conditions allow. The well would result in a maximum reduction in stream flow to Two Elk Creek of less than 1 % X0.04 cubic feet per second} of the minimum in stream f low right held by the Colorado Water Conservation Board ~4cfs}. The project area is located on Vail Mountain on the Holy Cross Ranger District, White River National Forest. Decision I have decided to approve the construction and operation of a well and snowmaking system at the base of Chair 36 at the Vail Mountain Ski Resort. The project is described as Project VSM 07- 00$ in the 2007 Summer Construction Plan. As part of this decision, the following activities are approved: • The construction and development of a low capacity well to supply water for snowmaking operations near the bottom terminal of~ Chair 3G: • The installation of a well pump and the construction of a small structure enclosing the pump; • Snawmaking operations to cover up to one acre of ground at the bottom terminals of Chairs 3G and 37, the Tea Cup Bridge, and the bottom of Tea Cup Bowl to a depth of up to 1$ inches. As part of my decision, f am requiring Vail Mountain Ski Resort to implement the following design measures: • Avoid construction and ground-disturbing activities in all wetlands within the project vicinity. • Avoid the discharge of dredged or fill material into waters of the United States; • Ensure that water rights are obtained for the operation of the well, and that water rights are filed,jointly in the name of the United States Government. Provide all documentation of water rights application to the USFS;