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<br />EXHIBIT "D"
<br />Wildlife, Water Resources, Vegetation and Soil Information
<br />The approximate 72 acre site owned by the operator, within which is
<br />the present existing 6.3 acre pit which would be expanded to at most 9
<br />acres under this special permit application, is basically marginal farmland.
<br />Since the operator has been in possession on the premises (1950), the
<br />relatively flat open areas to the West of the pit have been used for
<br />marginal wheat farming. To the South, the same wheat farming has also
<br />existed. The area in which the mining is presently occurring has never
<br />been farmed because of the terrain, the slopes and hills, and prior to
<br />any disturbance with the sand and gravel operation was an area of the
<br />native grasses and weeds only. Not a single tree has been disturbed in
<br />the mining operation nor will be disturbed, because none exist. No
<br />water is involved, because the water table has not been pierced - the
<br />present floor of the mining operation is approximately 40 feet from the
<br />water table. Native wildlife is nonexistent or migratory in character.
<br />With more specificity, wildlife, water resources, vegetation and soil
<br />information is addressed below.
<br />1. Wildlife. The following is a narrative of the wildlife and
<br />the impact on the wildlife in the affected area, pursuant to a telephone
<br />conversation with Bernard Goetze, State of Colorado, Division of Wildlife,
<br />District Wildlife Manager for Western Douglas County, 3665 Collins,
<br />Castle Rock, Colorado 80104 (phone 688-4148).
<br />The wildlife in the affected area in terms of any resident population
<br />of the same, is nonexistent. Some field mice on occasion have been
<br />noticed by the operator, but these are from surrounding areas. To the
<br />immediate South and West are wheat fields seasonably planted, to the
<br />East is the Chatfield Dam flood control area and to the North beyond
<br />other fields is the Chatfield Dam itself. The native wildlife population,
<br />if any, exists in the Chatfield Dam area and feeds and nests in the
<br />wheat fields to the West and South of the affected gravel pit area.
<br />Migratory water fowl during seasonal migration periods also use the
<br />Chatfield Dam and the wheat fields to the West and the South as feeding
<br />and nesting areas when passing through. The seasonal migrational geese,
<br />doves, a few pheasants, and other water fowl occurs during fall and mid
<br />to late winter. Occasionally seen in the Chatfield area and to the East
<br />of the affected area is a very limited deer population, which make their
<br />habitat in the Plum Creek Valley, this valley at its nearest point being
<br />1250 feet from the affected area.
<br />The sand and gravel operation has no, or an immeasurable, impact
<br />upon the wildlife in the area. An expanded operation in this area even
<br />up to a pit of 50 acres would create no or at its very worst, a minimal
<br />impact on what limited wildlife which exists. The operation, on its
<br />present scale or in terms of increasing it five times, would have no
<br />direct effect and no or a slight minimal effect on the wildlife native
<br />to the area or migrating through.
<br />2. Water Resources. As previously stated, the water table is
<br />some 40 feet below the excavation and for purposes of this permit, excavation
<br />would proceed only to a depth of 6 more feet beyond the existing floor.
<br />As a consequence, then, the water table would still be some 34 feet from
<br />the floor of the pit, would not be impacted, and there are no streams,
<br />creeks, or drainage areas disturbed by the existing operation, or its
<br />expansion up to 9 acres under this permit. In terms of any water drainage
<br />and water fall, the exposed sand and gravel in the pit area is so porous
<br />that there is no ponding of water except for only short periods of time
<br />even in the most severe of rain storms. The porosity of the exposed
<br />materials absorbs the water and it is believed this water ultimately
<br />becomes part of the water table of Plum Creek some 50 below the floor of
<br />the gravel pit as it presently exists and some 1250 feet to the East.
<br />EXHIBIT "D" - Wildlife, Water
<br />Resources, Vegetation and Soil Information
<br />Page 1
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