2013-09-11_REVISION - M1999033 (6)

Home Browse Search

Permanent man made structures within two hundred feet of the affected land boundaries include the Canterbury Ranch Road, fence lines and gates shown on the mine plan map. There are no utilities within 200 feet of affected land boundaries. The repair and/or replacement of any structure in the event that mining operations results in damage is guaranteed in writing as part of the lease arrangement between Fremont County and the land owner, Bill Canterbury Jr.. Howard Creek is a year round flowing stream draining the western slope of the Sangre De Cristo Mountains. Howard Creek flows at modest 25 cfs throughout most the year but is capable of discharging ten times or more that flow rate during short tern storm events. According to local sources, the last major storm event occurred in 1966 and resulted in flooding in Howard and erosion of a large portion of one of the waste dumps referenced in this application. The placement of limestone rock and fines along the Howard Creek channel has resulted in constant transport of sediments downstream for the past fifty years ranging from small to very large depending on the size of storm event. Water quality impacts from past mining practices appear to be minimal at this point in time, in that the vegetation along Howard Creek is well established and robust. Neighboring land owners have reported seeing trout in Howard Creek directly below the affected land boundaries. . . Watershed characteristics -- The Howard Creek Drainage Basin, located in western Fremont County on the north facing slopes of the Sangre De Cristo Mountains, actually includes the Howard Creek drainage, Porter Gulch drainage, and Spring Creek drainage. The general location of this watershed is Latitude 38 degrees North 24 minutes and Longitude 105 degrees West 57 minutes. The v.-atershed is bordered on the west by the Continental Divide, highest point Hunt's Peak at 13071' elevation. Lowest point in the watershed is at junction of Howard'and Spring Creek elevation 7800'. The watershed area is app_ 6600 acres. Relief is very steep with large areas of rock outcrop. Hunt's Lake, located in the southwestern corner of the �v *atershed and 4.5 miles from the proposed mine site, is the only lake or catchment-basin within the watershed Meteoric water tends to run -off quickly and exit Howard Creek's narrow stream channel. Time of concentration estilnates are .9 hour due to the long stream path, but Cn for the watershed i „gill be in the low §0's due to rock outcrop and„steep slopes. Anecdotal information ,. relates atleast four' major storm events occurring on Howard Creek in 1893, 1935, 1 §66, and 1975. During those events, peak flows may have approached 1000 cfs or more for short duration. It was reported by a long term land owner that the creek bed was at one time entirely buried in limestone waste materials and that Howard Creek crossed the waste dump on a wooden `flume”. The storm event in 1935 removed all of the flume and a large portion of the waste dump materials. At present, a well defined, incised stream channel is present with a well developed stand of mature Cottonwoods growing on both banks. Normal flow rates in Howard Creek are less than 50 cfs. Surface diversion records reflect app. 25 cfs of appropriated water on Howard Creek. Howard Creek is considered an itermittant stream by the Water District since it at times is totally consumed -by- water - users- prior -to- entering the- Ar- kansas- River. 4