2018-09-04_GENERAL DOCUMENTS - C1980007

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15 Description of the Environment Site Description and Land Use - Rule 2.04.3 The West Elk Mine is located approximately one mile east of the town of Somerset on Colorado State Highway No. 133. The western permit boundary extends to the outer slopes of Jumbo Mountain. PR-11 extended the eastern permit boundary into the Raven Gulch and Deep Creek watersheds. The northern extremity of the permit area lies just north of the North Fork of the Gunnison. PR-10 extended the southern boundary of the permit area south of Minnesota Reservoir into the drainage basins of Minnesota Creek, Dry Fork, Lick Creek, Poison Gulch, and Deep Creek. PR-12 extended the permit area to the southeast with the addition of the Dry Fork lease. PR-15 seeks to extend the southern boundary of the permit area, to include the South Prong and Horse Creek watersheds. (See Figure 1). The active Elk Creek Mine is located just northwest of the West Elk Mine facilities, north of the North Fork of the Gunnison River. The reclaimed Bear Mine is adjacent to the West Elk Mine on the west. Several historic mines, including the Hawks Nest, Black Beauty, Edwards and Oliver Mines are situated within or near to the northeast of the West Elk permit area. The West Elk Mine is on the western flank of the West Elk Mountains in the drainage basin of the North Fork of the Gunnison River. The climate is semi-arid. Topography is characterized by steeply sloping mountains covered primarily with tall shrub vegetation, particularly Gambel oak and Saskatoon serviceberry. The general area where the mine is located is currently used for grazing domestic livestock (cattle and sheep) and wildlife (deer and elk). Recreational activities such as big game hunting also occur here. Slopes range from 0 to 60 percent on the permit area, and elevations range from 5,900 feet at Somerset in the valley of the North Fork, to above 9,800 feet in the southeast corner of the permit area. The steep slopes of the stream valleys and the instability of the rock strata in the North Fork drainage basin have contributed to numerous landslides, mud flows and rock falls. These mass wasting features have been mapped by W.R. Junge of the Colorado Geological Survey and published as an open file report, entitled "Geologic Hazards, North Fork Gunnison River Valley, Delta and Gunnison Counties, Colorado." The primary land uses within the permit area are characterized as rangeland and woodland, supporting big game (deer and elk) and livestock (cattle and sheep). Portions of the permit area are within the boundaries of Grand Mesa, Uncompahgre and Gunnison National Forests.