2025-03-14_PERMIT FILE - M2025016 (40)

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// PAGE 1 EXHIBIT J Raptor Materials, LLC Cogburn Sand, Gravel, and Reservoir Project February 2025 A Regular Impact (112) Construction Permit Application – Colorado Division of Reclamation Mining and Safety, Office of Mined Land Reclamation Exhibit j - Vegetation INFORMATION SECTION 1 The Operator/Applicant shall include in this Exhibit a narrative of the following items: Subsections A and B descriptions of present vegetation types, which include quantitative estimates of cover and height for the principal species in each life-form represented (i.e., trees, tall shrubs, low shrubs, grasses, forbs); the relationship of present vegetation types to soil types, or alternatively, the information may be presented on a map; and The vegetation in the project area includes alfalfa (Medicago sativa), western wheatgrass (Pascopyrum smithii), cheatgrass (Bromus tectorum), flixweed (Descurainia sophia), squirreltail (Elymus elymoides), little hogweed (Portulaca oleracea), pigweed (Amaranthus species), and kochia (Bassia scoparia) (see photos1-3 in ERO report included as an addendum to Exhibit H). The riparian community contains species such as plains cottonwood (Populus deltoides spp. monilifera), peachleaf willow (Salix amygdaloides), smartweed (Persicaria amphibia), curly dock (Rumex crispus), and Pennsylvania bittercress (Cardamine pensylvanica) (see photos 6-7 in ERO report included as an addendum to Exhibit H). In the project area, 5 wetlands are in the northern portion and 27 agricultural ditches run through the southern portion (see photos 4-9 and Figure-2 in ERO report included as an addendum to Exhibit H). The agricultural ditches only flow when flood irrigation occurs to support the alfalfa fields in which they are located. AgDitch1 through AgDitch12 drain southwest back into Last Chance Ditch. AgDitch13 through Ag Ditch26 drain northwest into Wetland 5 and eventually into an unnamed tributary to St. Vrain Creek. Wetland 1 and Wetland 2 drain into an unnamed perennial tributary to St. Vrain Creek and then into St. Vrain Creek. Wetland 3 and Wetland 4 are located in an oxbow channel of St. Vrain Creek and drain to St. Vrain Creek. Wetland 5 drains into an unnamed tributary to St. Vrain Creek. The 27 agricultural ditches were determined to be excluded from Waters of the United States in a Jurisdictional Determination provided by the US Army Corps of Engineers on December 17, 2024. The current crop and pasture areas along with areas of more natural vegetation can be observed in the aerial photo imagery included in Exhibit I/J – Soils & Vegetation Map. The currently proposed extraction areas have excluded the areas currently mapped as wetlands. The 27 unnamed agricultural ditches used for agricultural irrigation are in the southern portion of the project area. Agricultural ditches are typically exempt and considered non-jurisdictional. A Wetland Jurisdictional Determination Application was submitted concerning these 27 ditches to USACE on November 6, 2024. If the wetlands or unnamed agricultural ditches are considered jurisdictional, before work is planned and permitted by Technical Revision in any of these areas, a Section 404 Permit would be required from the Corps for the placement of dredged or fill material in wetlands or below the ordinary high water mark.