PROJ00221

• Contract/PO #: FS0017X
• Contractor Name: Ouray, City of
• Contract Type: Loan
• Water District: 0
• County: Ouray
• Loan Projects - Doc Type: Feasibility Study

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3.2.4 Noise. Although Ouray County does not have a noise ordinance, the
city of Ouray has established a noise ordinance which states that no loud noises
are allowed after the hour of 10:00 p.m. (Merkel, 1998). Since the construction
would occur only during daylight hours, the project would not violate this noise
ordinance in the city of Ouray.

Some noise would be generated by the helicopter and construction
equipment at the staging area and project site. Since the staging area is located in
a sparsely populated area near the highway, the temporary increase in noise would
not be significant. Although the project site is located about one-fourth mile from
the city's hot spring pool, U.S. Highway 550 runs between the pool and the site,
and the helicopter would be used no more than 3 days. As a result, the temporary
increase in noise would not be significant.

3.2.5 Transportation. The main transportation route near both the project
site and the staging area is U.S. Highway 550. This route is a two-lane highway
that runs north through Montrose and south 'to Durango. Traffic on this roadway
includes mainly cars with approximately 5 percent single unit trucks and 2 percent
semi-tractor trailer trucks. Approximately 4,533 vehicles per day travel on U.S.
Highway 550 in the vicinity of the city of Ouray (Colorado Department of
Transportation, 1996). This project would involve 3 construction workers for 3
days for site preparation and 4 construction workers for 10 days for construction
of the stone/masonry wall. They would travel via car or truck on U.S. Highway
550 to reach the overflow parking lot for the aquatics center, which is in the catch
basin for the original channel. From there, they would climb on foot to the
diversion site. No more than two trucks would travel to the staging area via U.S.
Highway 550 to bring in construction equipment. Since the work is of short
duration and involves few vehicles, there would be no significant adverse effects
on transportation.

3.2.6 Hazardous and Toxic Waste. A site visit by Corps personnel on
August 15,1997, did not identify any evidence of hazardous or toxic waste on or
near the project site or staging area. Standard best management construction
measures would be taken to prevent construction equipment spills of oil, grease,
fuels, and/or related pollutants from entering the environment.

3.3 Vegetation and Wildlife

3.3.1 Existing Conditions. There is little vegetation in the immediate vicinity
of the project site. A few willows grow around the existing diversion. In addition,
scattered grasses grow along the sides of the channel. The surrounding
vegetation consists of spruce, fir, and aspen forests with areas of open grassland.

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