Laserfiche WebLink
WILDLIFE RESOURCES ASSESSMENT <br /> MORTON LAKES PROPERTY <br /> WELD COUNTY,COLORADO <br /> (Figure 1). The project area is located in the Fort Lupton 7/2-minute USGS quad, in the <br /> southeast '/4 of Section I and northeast '/4 of Section 12, Township 1 North, Range 67 <br /> West, of the 6th Principal Meridian in Weld County, Colorado (Figure 1). The UTM <br /> coordinates for the approximate center of the project area are 4435545mN and 514214mE. <br /> The latitude/longitude of the project area is 40.07005°N/104.83337°W. <br /> The proposed aggregate mine would consist of the following: <br /> • Approximately 132 acres would be mined. <br /> • The proposed project would be divided into mining stages, which would be <br /> mined and concurrently reclaimed. <br /> • The future use of the reclaimed land includes water storage, wetland habitat, <br /> and possible open space. The future disposition of the property is likely to be <br /> a combination of private and public ownership. <br /> • All excavated sand and gravel would be transported on-site by field <br /> conveyors. On-site roads would only be used to transport finished sand and <br /> gravel products off-site. <br /> Reclamation Concepts(Benefits for Wildlife) <br /> • Mining setbacks from Big Dry Creek would be implemented to reduce the <br /> loss of riparian habitat. <br /> • Cottonwoods outside of the mining areas would be protected from ground <br /> water fluctuations typically associated with alluvial sand and gravel mining <br /> through the installation of soil-bentonite slurry walls around the perimeter of <br /> mining. The slurry wall would prevent the lowering of alluvial ground water <br /> outside of the mining area,thereby protecting the adjacent trees and shrubs <br /> from any ground water drawdown. <br /> • Wash fines from sand and gravel processing would be disposed of in mining <br /> Stage 1. The wash fines would be used to create wetlands as part of the <br /> reclamation. The practice of using wash fines to create wetlands has been <br /> successful at various sand and gravel pits in the Front Range, including the <br /> Marshall Wetlands along South Boulder Creek, which is owned by Boulder <br /> Open Space. <br /> • Cottonwood trees would be planted along Big Dry Creek to replace trees <br /> removed for mining as well as to enhance the existing riparian corridor. <br /> • Native seed mixes would be used in the reclamation process. <br /> IN <br /> 2 Resources <br /> Corporation <br />