2021-02-11_PERMIT FILE - M2021011

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EXHIBIT B. SITE DESCRIPTION OF TONER RANCH PIT (6.3.2.) The Pit is located on the eastern floor of the valley of an unnamed ephemeral tributary(sometimes called the Toner-Taylor Creek) of the Piedra River, in an irrigated pasture, about five hundred and fifty feet west of Taylor Lane (FS-635), on a nearly flat southwestern slope near but not in the tributary. The Pit has numerous laterals for the irrigation system, conveying water from an unnamed irrigation ditch between the road and the Pit, flowing south along a low ridgeline. The site is presently used as irrigated and semi-irrigated pasture and grazing for livestock. The site is not unique or high-quality farmland and is not identified as critical habitat for any species of wildlife.There is no record or evidence of past occupation (prehistoric or historic) of this site. Wetlands on-site are a result of irrigation. Including the elements of the irrigation system on the Toner land,the only significant, permanent, manmade structures within 200 feet of the Pit are: • irrigation ditches: o about 200 feet west of the right of way and 300 feet east of the pit,flowing from north to south (belonging to the Landowner), o east of Taylor Lane (owned by PFR),— 100 feet from access road, and o along the western boundary of the pit and at the southwest corner of the pit (belonging to the Landowner), about 10 feet outside the permit boundary at its closest; • fencing (3-or 4-strand barbed-wire with wire gates and reinforced corners): o along the west edge of the right of way (belonging to the Landowner), o along the east edge of the right of way(belonging to PFR), and 0 on the north edge of the permit area (belonging to the Landowner), • road (Taylor Lane, a county/USFS-owned two-lane, 20 to 30-foot wide, gravel roadway), and • overhead utility line (La Plata Electric Association) on the east edge of the right-of-way (approximately 50 feet from the access road, but with the nearest pole 770 feet away). Only the third ditch is located within 200 feet of actual area inside the permit boundary to be excavated, although there are laterals which will be moved during mining/reclamation. There is no significant potential for damage to the significant and permanent manmade structures by the proposed mining. SOILS: See Exhibit A-1 Soils on the Pit consist of the Gateview gravelly loam and the Molas loam.The Gateview (on access road) has an A horizon of about 10 inches, but after separating gravel/stone, it is anticipated that only 4-5 inches will be soil (planting medium) suitable for reclamation as pasture. The Molas (lower areas) has an A horizon of about 5 inches, but with some larger particles: again 4-5 inches should be suitable for reclamation. Observing the soil on-site in small stock ponds shows that the Molas has significant amounts of larger materials in the entire profile down to at least eight feet. Ground water is generally very shallow in the Molas but much of this is due to irrigation. The paralithic bedrock is glacial till which does have significant ravel and larger materials.The lower bedrock is shale. g g g g DRAINAGE, FLOODING, WETLANDS: 1. The Pit generally drains to the west and southwest, although with numerous irrigation laterals changing flow direction, much of this is intercepted. Runoff from Taylor Lane to the east is intercepted by the irrigation ditch 300 feet east of the Pit. 2. Drainage, including irrigation, downslope/downstream will not be impacted significantly by the proposed mining. Toner Ranch Pit 110c Application Exhibits Page 3 of 20