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Chapter 3- Affected Environment and Consequences ° <br />? • South Fork Wiliiams Fork River - 10.1 impaired miles on Forest, south of <br />Kremmling. The pollutant are metals from historic resource extraction and <br />subsurface mining activities. There is no current mining activity in this <br />drainage. <br />• Trout Creek - 1.4 impaired miles on Forest, southwest of Oak Creek. The . <br />pollutant are metals from resource extraction, surface and subsurface mining. • <br />There are no current mining operations on Forest, however, coal mining <br />(surface) operations exist outside the Forest boundary. <br />• Elk River - 3.1 impaired miles on Forest, north of Steamboat Springs. The <br />pollutant are metals from resource extraction and subsurface mining. There y{? <br />are no current mining operations on the Forest. - <br />The Colorado Nonpoint Assessment Report is updated periodically. Stream segments may be <br />added or removed from the impairment list as more information becomes available. Project .:? <br />analyses will consider the potential effects of management activities on impaired streams. <br />Measures will be implemented, as needed, to prevent further degradation. •;? <br />The entire region around the Forest has had historical surface and subsurface mining, thus the <br />impairment due to metals could be from this era. In all cases, the water quality impairment is <br />due to metals present in the streams. The severity rating for all listed streams is low and :.t <br />fisheries are present in each stream. Figure 3-6 shows locations of these stream reaches. <br />, <br />In addition, reaches of the Michigan and Illinois Rivers in Jackson County and the Yampa River <br />through Steamboat Springs are on the impairment list. Although they are not on the Forest, they =R _ <br />?ithin the immediate area. Impairment on the Michigan, Illinois, and Yampa Rivers are due -.';,dimentation, either from agriculture or urbanization, metals, and other causes. <br />..?;.? <br />Quality of surface water is affected by the integrity of the fluvial system and aquatic habitat. The <br />integrity of fluvial systems on the Forest is very good overall, although some concem exists in <br />watersheds in which past timber management has affected stream channel potential. Also; <br />livestock grazing and recreation impacts have affected riparian condition, which in tum affects ?Y <br />streambank stability. These effects are not widespread, and changes in management could - <br />improve existing conditions. <br />,. q <br />.? <br />y?. <br />1f <br />.' ?. <br />r <br /> <br />TiRi m <br />3-38 Routt Nationa/ Forest - ElS (WatedRiparian/Wetlands)