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1nterulecl L1,111ited hil act 110 Operatiurt Permit Applicwicut ["_k 11 <br />Robin.) Rock Pit - Rcrhin.s Con.strtrctio v. LLLP <br />This Robins Rock Pit lies approximately 3.1 miles northwest of Conejos, Colorado, and 3.7 <br />miles northwest of Antonito, Colorado at an elevation varying between 8,000 and 8,130 feet <br />above mean sea level. The land is positioned on the east side of a prominent mesa, and includes <br />small portions of the flat top and bottom of the slope. The side of the mesa rises sharply for <br />roughly one hundred feet, and includes a slightly gentler slope at its base where there is a talus <br />deposit. In general, the site slopes from northwest to southeast. The land adjacent to the site is <br />undeveloped north and west of the site at the top of the mesa, and irrigated farmland south and <br />east of the site at the bottom of the mesa. The owner of this field, a Mr. Aniceto Luceto, is also <br />the owner of the surface and subsurface rights. The entire proposed permit boundary is <br />surrounded by land owned by the applicant and his wife, Randall & LouAnn Robins. <br />The only significant change from the Robins Rock Pit filed at M -2009 -053 is the removal of an <br />irrigation/drainage pond. At the time of approval in 2009 there was a small pond located at the <br />southeast corner of the permit boundary that was fed by an irrigation ditch which supplied water <br />to a center -pivot sprinkler serving the field south of the Robins Rock Pit. Mr. Luceto, the owner <br />of the ditch, claimed the ditch ended at the pond. Shortly after mining operations commenced the <br />pond and ditch were drained, and the pond filled with native excavated materials. With the <br />exception of remnants of the ditch no longer in use, there are no other significant permanent <br />man -made structures within 200 feet of the site except those listed below. <br />Note: Both the ditch and pond may be seen in some aerial photography included in these <br />exhibits, but it must be remembered that these images are older than 2010, and that the pond <br />does not exist and the ditch is not as prominent. <br />a) Soil & Vegetation Characteristics <br />The soil and vegetation at this site as they are described in "Soil Survey of Conejos County <br />Area, Colorado' developed by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) and Soil <br />Conservation Service (SCS) are included herewith in this exhibit. The area is dominated by <br />rocky basaltic lava outcrops which produce near vertical walls from 10 to 40 feet in height. <br />Some erosion and cliff wall failure has occurred and talus slopes are evident at the base of <br />the cliffs. <br />As it is described in the soil survey, the area to mined is Travelers Very Stony Loam which <br />has a combined surface layer and subsoil that is approximately 12 inches deep, and the <br />substratum is a very stony loam approximately 4 inches thick. The effective rooting depth is <br />10 to 20 inches. A summary of the native vegetation for this soil and area are provided <br />herewith, and none of the current or proposed mining operations will significantly impact the <br />vegetative capabilities of the site. <br />With the exception of the south end of the boundary at the base of the mesa, the site was <br />undeveloped and mostly unused prior to the commencement of mining operations. That <br />portion at the bottom of the mesa was employed partly as farmland, and partly as a farming <br />operation and maintenance area. <br />1'rcJu11-cd Bs: Sttntntit I.rt,t'it ?c�rrirt�� Co <br />,Inh A'ttnnccr: 4b'61 Page 6 of 73 <br />