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mountainous, with elevations ranging up to 8,300 feet at the summit of Jumbo Mountain, to the <br /> southeast of the permit area. <br /> The North Fork of the Gunnison River has the appearance of a moderately broad alluvial valley, <br /> extending to approximately 1,500 feet wide. The valley separates high table lands south of the <br /> river from the slopes of the Grand Mesa to the north. <br /> The permit area is drained by the North Fork of the Gunnison River and two unnamed ephemeral <br /> drainages. Water in the North Fork is characterized as a calcium bicarbonate type with moderate <br /> levels of sulfate. The flood plain of the North Fork, immediately to the south of the permit area, <br /> has been found to meet the geomorphic criteria and irrigation requirements of an alluvial valley <br /> floor(AVF). <br /> The primary land uses in the valley are irrigated agriculture, underground coal mining, and <br /> wildlife habitat. Orchards and pasture land are irrigated via the Fire Mountain Canal, which <br /> diverts water from the North Fork of the Gunnison, and the Deer Trail Ditch, which diverts water <br /> from Hubbard Creek. The pre-disturbance land use at the Loadout was for irrigated orchards. <br /> Irrigation water at the Loadout is supplied by the Deer Trail Ditch, which flows by culvert over <br /> the Fire Mountain Canal near the northern permit boundary. <br /> Adjacent to the Loadout site, across Old Highway 133, is the site of the Bowie No. 2 Mine (C- <br /> 1996-083). This underground coal mine received its permit on April 4, 1997. Numerous pre-law <br /> underground mines exist north and east of the Loadout. <br /> Cultural and Historic Resources (Rule 2.04.4 and 2.05.6(4)) <br /> Cultural and historic resources are discussed in Section 2.04.4 of the PAP. <br /> In a letter dated August 8, 2019, the State Historic Preservation Officer concluded that the only <br /> known resource within the permit area of the Terror Creek Loadout is the Fire Mountain Canal, <br /> which is eligible for listing to the National Register of Historic Places (site 5DT1277). The town <br /> of Bowie, located in the project vicinity has also been officially determined eligible for inclusion <br /> in the National Register of Historic Places. Neither the Fire Mountain Canal nor the town of <br /> Bowie will be impacted by the Loadout's operation. <br /> Geology (Rules 2.04.5 and 2.04.6) <br /> For a description of the geology, refer to Section 2.04.6 in the PAP. Map 2 of the PAP details <br /> the Geology/Hydrology within the permit and adjacent areas. <br /> The rocks exposed in the vicinity of the permit area are the sandstones and shales of the Upper <br /> Cretaceous Mesaverde formation. The structure of the sedimentary rocks in the area dips gently <br /> to the east. Localized faults and rolls occur as a result of tectonic activity. Due north of the <br /> permit area, the Mesaverde formation contains several sequences of coal bearing rocks. The <br /> rocks present in the area of the Loadout site are of Mancos shale formation. Within the North <br /> Fork of the Gunnison River valley quaternary age alluvial deposits are found. <br /> - 4 - <br />