2017-02-03_PERMIT FILE - C1980004 ‎(22)‎

• Permit No: C1980004
• IBM Index Class Name: Permit File
• Doc Date: 2/3/2017
• Section_Exhibit Name: Appendix P Water Depletion Estimates
• Media Type: D
• Archive: No

APPENDIX P
McClane Canyon Mine Expansion and Fruita Loadout Facility Biological Assessment
2.0 PROPOSED ACTION
2.1 Project Location
The McClane Canyon Mine is located within federal leaseholds adjacent to State Highway 139
in Garfield County, Colorado approximately 19 miles north of Interstate -70. The existing Mine
site, which includes all aboveground facilities (existing portal, haul road, conveyors, and office)
is within Township 7 South, Range 102 West, Section 21. The proposed lease modification is
adjacent to the existing federal leases in portions of Sections 14, 23, and 26 (Township 7 South,
Range 102 West), as shown in Map 2.
Coal would be transported on State Highway 139 and U.S. Highway 6/State Highway 50 by
truck from the Mine to the proposed Loadout Facility, approximately 18 miles south of the Mine
in Mesa County. The proposed Loadout Facility would be located on private lands between
Fruita and Loma and between Interstate -70 and U.S. Highway 6/State Highway 50 (just west of
the old Fruita Refinery). The proposed Loadout Facility and associated railroad spur would be
within portions of Sections 2, 3, 10, and 11 (Township 1 North, Range 3 West), as shown in
Map 3.
2.2 Project Setting
Mine. Elevation at the Mine site ranges from 5,436 feet at the Mine entrance to approximately
5,600 feet at the Mine portal (Map 2). McClane Canyon Wash passes beneath the existing haul
road from the Mine portal, through a culvert, and becomes a narrow ephemeral drainage
through McClane Canyon, which is dominated by black greasewood (Sarcobatus vermiculatus)
and big sagebrush (Artemisia tridentata ssp.) vegetation in the lower canyon. McClane Canyon
Wash is a tributary to perennial East Salt Creek, which is crossed by the Mine entrance road
near its junction with State Highway 139. Fremont cottonwood (Populus fremontit) and
scattered box -elder (Acer negundo) trees dominate the riparian overstory along East Salt Creek,
but non-native tamarisk (Tamarix ramosissima) and Russian olive (Elaeagnus angustifolia) are
also present. There are two vegetation types that cover most of the Mine site (Wildlife West,
2010): 1) pinyon -juniper woodlands, dominated by pinyon pine (Pinus edulis) and Utah juniper
(Juniperus osteosperma) on north -facing slopes, and 2) sagebrush-greasewood mixed
shrublands that include a mixture of basin big sagebrush (A. t. tridentata), Wyoming big
sagebrush (A. t wyomingensis), and black greasewood on the canyon floor and alluvial
benches adjacent to East Salt Creek. Shadscale (Atriplex confertifolia) and cheatgrass (Bromus
tectorum) predominate on the steep south -facing canyon wall.
Suitability of aquatic habitats in East Salt Creek in the vicinity of the Mine varies with in -stream
flows. Quarterly samples taken in East Salt Creek between 2004 and 2009 indicated minimal or
no flows during some time periods. Variability of average monthly flows in the mine vicinity is
expected to be similar to flows measured at USGS Gage 09163310 located approximately 16.2
miles downstream from the Mine in East Salt Creek (Figure 1).
East Salt Creek, West Salt Creek, and Mack Wash join to form Salt Creek approximately 24.6
miles downstream from the Mine site. Salt Creek is a direct tributary to the Colorado River. Salt
Creek is included in Colorado's Section 303(4) list of Impaired Waters for impairment (with
moderate priority) due to concentrations of selenium (Water Quality Control Commission, 2010).
3
PR -02 10/12