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New Elk Mine (C-1981-012) —MT8 <br />and the river valley were inventoried and found to contain four distinct vegetative communities at the New <br />Elk Mine area: a Ponderosa pine -Douglas fir -oak community (Pinusponderosa - Pseudotsuga menziesii), a <br />Ponderosa pine -oak community (Pious ponderosa - Quercus gambelii), a grassland community, and a <br />riparian willow (Salix XX) carr community. The Ponderosa pine -Douglas fir -oak community <br />(Pinusponderosa - Pseudotsuga menziesii, Quercus gambelii), is found on the north -facing slope above the <br />mine facilities at elevations above 7,600 feet. The overstory consists of mature Ponderosa pine and Douglas <br />fir with interspersed Pinon pine (Pious XX} and Rocky Mountain juniper, (Juniperus scopulorum). The <br />dominant shrub species is Quercus gambelii, (Gambel's oak). <br />Vegetative cover is relatively sparse (12 percent) and productivity is low (62 lb/ac). The Ponderosa pine -oak <br />community occurs on the north facing slopes above 7,500 feet on the eastern two-thirds of the permit area. <br />Pure Pinus ponderosa stands are interspersed with Quercus gambelii), Pinus XX and Juniperus <br />scopulorum. Vegetative cover is low at (4 percent), as is productivity at (44 lb/ac). Since no undisturbed <br />grassland communities could be found at the New Elk Mine, the grassland community was inventoried at the <br />adjacent Golden Eagle Mine on a plateau above the river at 7,200 feet elevation. Dominant grass species were <br />Bouteloua gracilis (blue gramma), and Pascopyrum smithii (western wheatgrass), with many other minor <br />graminoids including a number of fortis. Artemisia tridentate Nut (big sagebrush) and Gutierrezia sarothrae <br />(broom snakeweed) were the dominant shrubs. Vegetative cover can be characterized as moderate (18 <br />percent), as is productivity at (560 lb/ac). The Salix XX, (willow carr) riparian community is located in the <br />Purgatoire River drainage at an elevation of 7,400 feet at the New Elk Mine. The dominant species was Salix <br />XX with a diverse graminoid and forb understory. <br />Vegetative cover is high (43 percent), as is productivity (2,140 lb/ac). <br />Soils in the area range from very shallow on the steep side slopes to deep, well -drained loams with a dark - <br />colored surface layer found in the valley bottom along the Purgatoire River. <br />The Jansen Loadout is located in an unincorporated area on the west side of Trinidad, Colorado. <br />Land use of the site has been industrial for at least two decades. The site is located immediately north of and <br />adjacent to the Burlington Northern Santa Fe (BNSF) railroad grade on a thin layer of Purgatoire River <br />alluvial deposits capping bedrock sedimentary formations. No intermittent, ephemeral, or perennial <br />drainages cross the site. An intermittent arroyo named Colorado Canyon arroyo borders the site on the <br />eastern boundary. This arroyo flows only during snowmelt episodes in the spring or from storm runoff after <br />summer thunderstorms. <br />Climate at the loadout is similar to that of the mine site, but slightly dryer due to lower elevation. <br />All soils and native vegetation have been previously removed from the loadout site. Weeds and volunteer <br />species persist, especially on the fringes of the disturbance. The site has no natural wildlife habitat and the <br />site is fenced to prevent access of domestic animals and big game. <br />