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• food and shelter to mammals and birds. There are no migratory paths for large game such as deer <br />and elk in the amendment area. <br />There are no unique wildlife use areas within the amendment area that requires additional study. <br />The local Colorado Division of W ildlife officer in Nucla did not feel that the amendment area mining <br />and reclamation would have any significant impacts on wildlife. A letter describing the pre-mine <br />and planned post-mine uses for the amendment area (with maps) is being sent to the Colorado <br />Division of wildlife Office in Montrose for comments on the proposed plan. <br />General Description of the 1987 and 1988 Study Area <br />The New Horizon 2 study area is located in Montrose County on the western edge of the town of <br />Nucla. The study area is situated on bench lands below the southern edge of the Uncompahgre <br />Plateau. The San Miguel River canyon lays a few miles to the south (see Exhibit 12-1). The <br />elevation of the study area ranges from 5,650 to 5,800 feet (1,722-1,768 m). The study area <br />includes portions of the following sections: <br />• Section li. T46N., R75W <br />NWY+ <br />W%:NEY. <br />W YzSEY+NEY, <br />W%zNEY<NEY. <br />Section 1. T46N. R16W <br />NE'l2NE'/<SE'/. <br />NE'/< <br />W'/2NW~/4 <br />Section 6. T46N. R15W <br />N%=NEY.SWY, <br />Portions of N%ZSE'/, <br />The climate of the study area is semi-arid. Precipitation is distributed throughout the year, although <br />the greatest amounts are received in summer. Convectional showers are typical in summer and <br />cyclonic rains and snows are characteristic of the remainder of the year. Annual precipitation <br />averages approximately 12 to 13 inches (303-330mm). Temperatures are moderate. The mean <br />annual temperature is approximately 48°F (8.9°C). Further information concerning the climate of <br />the Nucla area may be found in Section 2.04.8, Climatological Information. <br />The native vegetation of the Nucla area is characteristic of the moderate elevations of the Colorado <br />Plateau. Pinyon-Juniperwoodlands cover extensive areas in the region where shallow rocky soils <br />persist on the mesas and ridges. Sagebrush and other shrublands occur on deeper soils in the <br />• <br />(Revised March 2006) 2.04.11-5 <br />