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the important role an undisturbed hydrology plays in maintaining <br />the viability of peaty soils. <br />MACMASTERS SITE <br />The MacMasters site is located four miles west of Fairplay, <br />CO off Park County Road 14a (Figure ?). The site contains two <br />"kettle pond" fens each with an area of less than 5 acres. They <br />are located on the north and south sides of a natural mound where <br />the Macmasters have built a second home. It does not appear that <br />they are hydrologically connected. The natural vegetation <br />consists of a willow- reed -sedge community. These areas were once <br />open water ponds that over time have been either partially or <br />completely filled in by decomposing vegetation. The peat <br />• thickness averages 2 -3 feet, but measured 17 feet at its thickest <br />(Jay Flater personal conversation). The Macmasters intent is to <br />excavate the peaty material from these areas to create ponds deep <br />enough to sustain catchable fish (minimum 6 -8 feet deep). <br />In 1984, Jay Flater, owner of Red -E -Soil in Salida, <br />Colorado, contracted with the MacMasters to remove the peat from <br />the old pond areas. In that year, the peat was drained by <br />installing a culvert through the natural dikes that retained the <br />water flowing from a spring on the property. Excavation was <br />begun on the pond north of house in 1985 and continued through <br />1986. In 1988, the culvert through the dike containing the north <br />pond was removed, the area was graded, and bare areas were seeded <br />with a commercial grass mixture as per SCS recommendations. By <br />Appendix B (viii) <br />