PROJ00527

• Contract/PO #: FS0024X
• Contractor Name: Florida Water Conservancy District
• Contract Type: Loan
• Water District: 0
• County: La Plata
• Loan Projects - Doc Type: Feasibility Study

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5.5 LAND RESOURCES
The land in the immediate vicinity of the dam and reservoir
(1/4 to 2 miles from the lake perimeter) is owned by both public
and private interests. The reservoir and dam site as well as many
other acres of public land are owned by the U. S. Government and
are administered and managed by Reclamation, the Bureau of Land
Management (BLM) and the USFS. Private properties are also
adjacent to these publicly owned lands. Outside of the two mile
radius and surrounding the reservoir and dam on three sides, is
the San Juan National Forest.

5.5.1 Mineral Resources

Currently there are no existing mineral activities within the

immediate area of the reservoir and dam. There are, however, two

prospects known within the Florida River drainage basin at the

extreme northern end, approximately 14 miles northeast of the dam

site. There are no records of any production in the other inac-

cessible mine workings in the area. Production of metallic

minerals within a 15 miles radius of Lemon Dam has been small.

The nearest known uranium and vanadium deposits, as reported

by the Atomic Energy Commission, are in the vicinity of Durango

and Lightner Creek, considerably southwest of the reservoir area.

Traces of uranium have been identified near Aztec Mountain, north

of Lemon Reservoir, but as with metallic minerals, the production

of uranium or vanadium are not considered to be of any signifi-

cance.

There are currently no prospects for oil development in the
reservoir area but there is a coal belt about two miles south of
the dam site that runs roughly eastward from Hesperus, Colorado
and crosses the Pine River north of Bayfield, Colorado, dipping
southerly away from the reservoir area.

5.0-19