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The mountains of the Continental Divide provide an effective barrier to the movement of <br /> moisture-laden air that reaches the eastern slope of the Rocky Mountains from the Gulf of <br /> Mexico. Under this influence, two basic types of climate, semi-arid and undifferentiated <br /> highlands, are characteristic of the general area where the mine is situated. Temperatures can <br /> range below freezing in the winter, and yet in the summer, with the exception of higher <br /> elevations, can be extremely warm. The precipitation that does fall, originates from the Pacific <br /> Ocean weather systems, and most frequently occurs in the winter. <br /> Average annual precipitation ranges from approximately ten inches along the North Fork of the <br /> Gunnison River and the lower portion of Minnesota Creek to as much as 24 inches on the flanks <br /> of Mount Gunnison. The majority of precipitation falls as snow during the winter months, while <br /> the sparse summer precipitation consists of isolated thunderstorms. <br /> Soils - Rule 2.04.9 <br /> Soil Resource Information can be found in Section 2.04.9 in the permit document. More specific <br /> information relating to soil mapping units can be found in Exhibit 27, Exhibit 28, Exhibit 29, <br /> Exhibit 30, and on Maps 40 and 41. <br /> Soils of the West Elk Mine were mapped during the summer of 1976. Throughout the soil <br /> survey, "mapping units" were used to characterize the soils in the mine area. These survey <br /> mapping units are combinations of Soil Families or selected Great Groups and Subgroups <br /> according to the system of soil taxonomy used in the National Soil Survey Program of the United <br /> States. During the summer of 1993, the soils of the Jumbo Mountain Tract were mapped <br /> utilizing criteria and descriptions contained in the Soil Conservation Service soil survey of the <br /> Paonia, Colorado area(USDA-SCS, 1993). The maps have been updated for subsequent permit <br /> revisions. Any discrepancies in soil mapping units can be attributed to the change in soil <br /> classification during the time between the mapping efforts. The survey is a general <br /> reconnaissance and the mapping units are broad in concept. <br /> Vegetation- Rule 2.04.10 <br /> Specific information regarding collection and analysis of vegetation can be found in Section <br /> 2.04.10 of the PAP. The distribution of the land and vegetation types can be found on Maps 42 <br /> and 43 of the PAP. <br /> The West Elk Mine collected baseline vegetation information in 1975, 1976, and 1993 for a <br /> study area which extends approximately one mile outside the permit boundary and mine plan <br /> boundary. This area is approximately 25,560 acres in size. This survey identified ten vegetation <br /> types and six land types. They are as follows: 1) Aspen, comprising 19 percent of the study area; <br /> 2) Douglas fir, comprising four percent of the study area; 3) Wet Mixed Shrub, comprising 50 <br /> percent of the study area, dominated by serviceberry and Gambel oak; 4) Dry Mixed Shrub, <br /> comprising 10 percent of the study area, distinguished by serviceberry, Gambel oak, Mountain <br /> mahogany, Cliff findlerbush, and bitterbrush; 5) Oak, comprising one percent of the study area, <br /> including Gambel oak and the larger size oak individuals (15-20 ft in height), which are limited <br /> to the bottom of permanent stream drainages; 6) Juniper, comprising five percent of the study <br /> area, which includes Rocky Mountain Juniper and Utah Juniper; 7) Riparian, comprising two <br /> 21 <br />