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<br />~1ExrCAN CUWC1EN'l'IFIC INFORMA'rION 2
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<br />ECOWG 1" C~.~:.-'{.r M J I, I TY
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<br />r,lc:J>:ican Cnt, by virtue of its qlacii..1. ori<Jin, J:orms a distinct
<br />t:UP09l'dphic uniL wiLh rilLhOl: shaq)ly delimited physical boundaries.
<br />I t:.s n.::1 t.uro ("18 i.t thlnqing cirque provides a dis t.inct floor, or lower .
<br />J0vl~1, which cff"I:Lively ,;,~pal:ates iL fr.om Schofield Parl< 500 feet
<br />below. 'l'he north and south boundaries arc steep ridqes and the
<br />western bounda~y lies along the top of Galena Mountain itself.
<br />
<br />1'11" entin;! l-lexiciIll Cut water drainage lies within the basin drawing
<br />j,tt; source from snowmelt within the Pr(~scrve Bonndary. R~'lBr, owns
<br />Uw wilt..,r ri'Jhts - both [or water quali,ty and qUilntity - amI eff(,'.ct;.-
<br />ivc.ly protects Uw aquatic conununities from pollntion due to mining
<br />ol.lc>ratiol\s, human habiLation, or waLer diversion for human comrnun"
<br />ities at lower altitudes.
<br />
<br />i\cc0ss to ~lexicilll Cut lies soluly along an old wagon road entering
<br />frol11 Cll<o Park to the south. l3y permission of t1w vlhite Ri.ver
<br />National F'01."()st and t.he heirs of the Setz est:Clt(~, IHIfOL personnel
<br />have..: t\i\.'led the pr'ocl.;::",SOB of na ture und have arl'anq()lj fallen l:reof.i
<br />across the road to eliminate wheeled veh,icle tx:affic. Foot travel
<br />is the only way to enter Mexican Cut - even for RMUL personnel.
<br />
<br />North of Mexican Cut, 400 feet lower in altitude .in North Polt'. Basin,
<br />1 ia,; the CommonwcaJ th Placor which is currently (1976) ])o.i.ny devulopl)d
<br />as a mountain resort. Control of the narrOw Btl:ip of White River
<br />Nt:ltional Forest land which SC~llartltos r-1c:ci.ean CuI:. J:J:"nm tlH;: (~J.aCBr
<br />,\11<1 I.hlch acts dS it t1U.i Lahl(! buffUl: zone has lH!')/I qiv')n to lU,I[I[,
<br />lhn)ugh ,I StX:C:ii.lJ U,;o Ponili.t.. In addition, the l'ihi!:e ltivor Nat,ional
<br />FOl"(:ls t Supcrv iso!:' has rellloved Mexican eu t from 'JI"azing permit areas
<br />,:u1d .sh0Cp have not: tHltercd the PL~CSCl:VC since .lYGSI.
<br />
<br />'1'he lIla.j.o.l pass.i b1a ad von,a ef fee Ls of nd,nint<J, land devl)lopmen t,
<br />C)J:ilzing or excc,<;,<; human visitation from ncighbo,rill'f pJ:oport:i.es
<br />pose m,i,l\illlal threats to r-!()xican Cut due to it.s natural topogral?hic
<br />isolation and lill\i.t.od i'lCC(':,;s. 1'lw bocmd"ries have J.Jecn legally
<br />posted since 1968 and only minol- incidents of damage due to trespass
<br />have beml expel.' ienced by HHBL personnel.
<br />
<br />Perhaps the <Jre<lt(~SL threat to the oGosyr;tcm stems Crom the activit.in,;
<br />of t h~~ l:~~:je,lrcll pL~rsonu~l tlH~1Il:301vcs. In 1973, 1\lexi.can Cut was clo~H)d
<br />l)y Rl'lBL's 1'1c:xictll1 Cllt Coord.in.::llor to cd J manipulative rc::;e<:trch. Stlb'~'
<br />"i()'juent Lo 1,)73, activiti,..~s have been closely monit:ored by lH~lJJ.'r;
<br />J\ll}xir..:an Cut CO/llPllt,t..c'(' and ;1 rOGUVl.~l'Y t.o the or.i<].i.n,:..d. nt,~t(:~ is evidc~nt,.
<br />frhe unique:! popul.:ltjon~; of n~()1:uld.(': ~~j,lliHlhlll.c.1or:~ and l:he p.r.imiti.vt!
<br />_!..~;_~.~~_~.'::'_~._. aJ"C:~ C:xll~i.1ordinarily Benn'itiv(! to dist:urbtlnee. Many of thf~
<br />otlwr ill?ec 1.'2.', an' barely :;ub:,;j,;;tJn'J at their limit:...; of to1orancc and
<br />any form of habitat disruption could be fatal.
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