PERMFILE45128

• Permit No: C1980007
• IBM Index Class Name: Permit File
• Doc Date: 12/11/2001
• Section_Exhibit Name: Exhibit 70 Appendix M Environmental Baseline Studies
• Media Type: D
• Archive: No

II. GENERAL DESCRIPTION OF THE RPE area

The proposed RPE area encompasses approximately 17.3 acres immediately east of the
West Elk Mine entrance road and approximately 1.5 acres immediately north of State
Fi'ighway 133 at the mine entrance road. The main RPE area is composed of a
predominantly north-northeast facing slope bounded on the west by Sylvester Gulch and
an unnamed gulch on the east, a toeslope or outwash fan extending north from the main
slope adjacent to Sylvester Gulch, and a relict oxbow of the North Fork of the Gunnison
River which has been isolated by the reconstruction and relocation of State Highway 133.
The proposed topsoil storage area for the RPE is located above the North Fork of the
Gunnison River on a relatively flat terrace between State Highway 133 and the river. The
average observed gradient on the north-northeast facing slope was 25 degrees, while the
gradient at the toeslope/outwash fan was a gentle four degrees. The RPE area slope has
exposed sandstone outcrops at the southern boundary of the proposed expansion, and in
several areas evidence of minor surficial downslope soil movement is present (churned
surface material). One minor seep was identified on the slope through the presence of a
cottonwood copse (discussed further in Greystone, 1995). Native soils were generally
loamy in texture, with numerous subsurface rock fragments. Soils are discussed further in
Savage and Savage, 1995.
A general mapping of the vegetation communities of the mine and surrounding areas (Map
42) on a large scale (1:24000) identifies disturbed areas along the North Fork of the
• Gunmison River corridor (State Highway 133) and the predominant oakbrush community
on the north facing slopes east of Sylvester Gulch. Field observation reveals that while the
oakbrush community is dominant in the RPE area, additional vegetation communities of
minor extent are also present. A wetland community exists in the relict oxbow of the
North Fork of the Gumuson River. A minor cottonwood community associated with a
bedrock seep exists on the north-northeast facing slope of the RPE. At the eastern
boundary of the RPE area, a mixture of Pseudotsuga menzresii (Douglas 5r) and
Juniperus osteosperma (Utah juniper) is present on more rocky open areas of the slope.
Additionally, a few individual conifers are widely scattered within the oakbrush
community, indicators of the adjacent Douglas fir-spruce community which dominates to
the east of Box Canyon and at higher elevations to the south of the RPE.
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