INSPEC17829

• Permit No: M1988044
• IBM Index Class Name: Inspection
• Doc Date: 9/14/1994
• Doc Name: GRASS SEEDING M-88-044
• From: TUTTLE APPLEGATE INC
• To: DMG
• Media Type: D
• Archive: No

• •
__
7tattleApplegate, In c.
Consultants for Land, Mineral and Water Development
September 12, 1994
Mr. Gregg Squire
Division of Minerals & Geology
13]3 Sherman Street, Room 215
Denver, CO 80203
RE: Coal Creek Grass Seeding; M-88-044
Dear Gn;gg:
iiiiiiiiiiiniiiiii
999

SEP 141994
t x,r,,,
As you recall, two weeks ago we visited the Coal Creek site in Arapahoe County to inspect
the effects of cattle grazing on the reclamation seeding which has taken place. Since our
meeting, I have contacted the rancher who has the grazing lease.
The rancher's normal schedule for movement of cattle on this property is to keep the cattle in
the eastern uplands in the summer and fall and then move them into the Coal Creek valley for
the winter and spring. Specifically, he moves the cattle out of the creek valley in May or
early June and returns them to the Coal Creek valley in January or early February. His
mother cows will calf in the creek valley in late February and March.
We plan to seed in late April and early May of each year so the rancher's rotation schedule
would seem to work out. Just before or as the grass is sprouting in late May, he would be
moving the cattle out of the valley. Unfortunately [his year has been very hot and dry. As
you know we have had many days over 90° and we are some four to five inches short of
average precipitation for 1994. The rancher ran out of water on the eastern upland areas and
the grass either did not grow much up there or dried out. Therefore, he had to move his
cattle back down into the valley in August.
Also the rancher has informed me he expects to get some money from the Department of
Agriculture for a land rotation program. He will be receiving money to install more fences to
better manage the grazing. He and I discussed working together with our mining plan so that
we could better manage the valley area.
Based on this information, I think we have a reasonable solution to insuring our reclamation
success. First, we need to acknowledge that 1994 was an abnormal year. With precipitation
usually near or above the average, the interface between the cattle grazing in [he valley and
our reclamation seeding can work out. The benefit from more fencing in the area will further
help the reclamation.
119ft0 Grant Street, Suite 410 • Denver, Colorado 80233 • [phone] • Fax [phone]