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<br />Proposed Decision and Findings of Compliance July 2018 <br />Permit Renewal No. 7 P a g e | 54 <br />in the original findings document. <br />A. Designation of Alluvial Valley Floors <br /> <br />Stream Valley Segments Determined to be Alluvial Valley Floors <br /> <br />The Division has made the determination that portions of four drainages with segments in or <br />adjacent to the permit area are considered alluvial valley floors: Good Spring Creek, Wilson Creek, <br />Lower Elkhorn Creek, and Jubb Creek. These stream valleys are shown on Map 11A of the PAP. <br />The following stream valley segments have been determined to be alluvial valley floors: <br /> <br /> Good Spring Creek valley deposits mapped as Qa on Map 11A of the PAP, extending <br />from the West Fork Good Spring Creek confluence downstream for the entire length of <br />the valley. <br /> Upper segment of Wilson Creek valley deposits mapped as Qa on Map 11A of the PAP, <br />from the confluence of East and West Forks of Wilson Creek, downstream to the <br />approximate center of Section 7, T3N, R93W. <br /> Lower segment of Wilson Creek valley deposits mapped as Qa on Map 11A of the PAP, <br />extending from lower boundary of “Area Affected by 1985 Erosion and Mass Wasting <br />Event.” <br /> Lower Elkhorn Creek valley deposits mapped as Qa on Map 11A of the PAP. <br /> Jubb Creek and its tributary valleys with deposits mapped as Qa on Map 11A of the PAP. <br /> <br />Flood irrigation may have occurred in the past along portions of Wilson Creek within the permit <br />area. Small cropland parcels within a mile or so to the north (downstream) of the permit boundary <br />in the vicinity of Gossard Loadout were historically irrigated cropland (grass hay). These parcels <br />are currently in dryland wheat, and are no longer irrigated. There is current flood irrigation (grass <br />hay) along a segment of the stream immediately to the south (upstream) of the expanded permit <br />boundary. <br /> <br />Portions of the Good Spring Creek valley within and adjacent to the permit area, downstream of <br />existing and proposed future operations, are currently flood irrigated. Ranchers grow pasture <br />grasses for hay and livestock forage production in the flood irrigated fields. A few wells and <br />springs located along Good Spring Creek are being used for stock watering. <br /> <br />Lower Elkhorn Creek will not be affected directly or indirectly by mining at Colowyo Mine. <br /> <br />Stream Valley Segments Determined not to be Alluvial Valley Floors <br /> <br />Taylor Creek was investigated in the early 1980s in association with initial permitting of the Mine, <br />and was determined not to be an alluvial valley floor. <br />