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The alluvium of the Middle Fork of the Purgatoire River is a significant aquifer in the permit and <br />adjacent areas. The Purgatoire River originates several miles west of the mine in the Sangre de <br />Cristo Mountain Range. It flows into the Arkansas River near Las Animas, Colorado, <br />approximately 120 miles northeast of the mine. <br />Portions of the Apache Canyon, Pete Canyon, and Ciruela Canyon drainages are found within <br />the permit area. These basins contain intermittent and ephemeral streams that flow <br />predominately in response to runoff from snowmelt during the spring and intense rainfall during <br />the summer. A portion of the flow in intermittent drainages is sustained by groundwater <br />discharges. Pete Canyon is tributary to the North Fork of the Purgatoire River, while Apache <br />and Ciruela Canyons are tributary to the main stem of the Purgatoire River (aka the Middle <br />Fork). <br />The region is characterized by a semi -arid climate. The prevailing wind is from the southwest <br />and average annual precipitation is approximately 17 inches. The length of the growing season <br />in the area varies from 90 to 110 days. <br />Vegetative communities in the area of the mine can be separated into two physiognomic types: <br />the low grassland and riparian communities along the Middle Fork of the Purgatoire River valley <br />bottom, and forest communities dominating the slopes and upland areas along the river valley. <br />Communities on the north -facing slope and the river valley were inventoried and found to <br />contain four distinct vegetative communities at the New Elk Mine area: a Ponderosa pine - <br />Douglas fir -oak community, a Ponderosa pine -oak community, a grassland community, and a <br />riparian willow carr community. The Ponderosa pine -Douglas fir -oak community is found on <br />the north -facing slope above the mine facilities at elevations above 7,600 feet. The overstory <br />consists of mature Ponderosa pine and Douglas fir with interspersed pifion pine and Rocky <br />Mountain juniper. The dominant shrub species is Gambel's oak. Vegetative cover is relatively <br />sparse (12 percent) and productivity is low (62 lb/ac). The Ponderosa pine -oak community <br />occurs on the north facing slopes above 7,500 feet on the eastern two-thirds of the permit area. <br />Pure Ponderosa pine stands are interspersed with Gambel's oak, pifion pine, and Rocky Mountain <br />juniper. Vegetative cover is low (4 percent), as is productivity (44 lb/ac). <br />The grassland community was inventoried at the adjacent Golden Eagle Mine on a plateau above <br />the river at 7,200 feet elevation, since no undisturbed grassland communities could be found at <br />the New Elk Mine. Dominant grass species were blue grama and western wheatgrass, with many <br />other minor graminoids including a number of forbs. Sage and snakeweed were the dominant <br />shrubs. Vegetative cover can be characterized as moderate (18 percent), as is productivity (560 <br />lb/ac). The willow carr riparian community is located in the Purgatoire River drainage at an <br />elevation of 7,400 feet at the New Elk Mine. The dominant species was willow with a diverse <br />graminoid and forb understory. Vegetative cover is high (43 percent), as is productivity (2,140 <br />lb/ac). <br />Soils in the area range from very shallow on the steep side slopes to deep, well -drained loams <br />with a dark -colored surface layer found in the valley bottom along the river. <br />The Jansen Loadout is located in an unincorporated area on the west side of Trinidad, Colorado. <br />Land use of the site has been industrial for at least two decades. The site is located immediately <br />New Elk Mine <br />Findings for RN -06, May 11, 2017 <br />5 <br />