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Final Report on Wetland Mitigation Efforts: Coal Creek Mining Areas and Adjacent Riparian Habitats DA Permit Number 198811488 Arapahoe County, Colorado Background Since 1988, wetland mitigation efforts have been proceeding at a site along Coal Creek south of East Quincy Avenue in Arapahoe County, Colorado. The large area undergoing this mitigation effort is included in portions of sections 11, 13, 14, 24, 25, and 36, T5S and R65W of the 6t° prime meridian. The actual locations for the mitigation work focused on two small areas that were specifically designated as wetland mitigation sites. These two areas total about 10 acres, with roughly 5 acres in each site. Obviously, with a project location covering so many sections the total project involved considerably more than just these 10 acres. The project included work to mitigate negative effects resulting from streambed mining along a few miles of the Coal Creek channel. The permit was extended in 1996 and is due to expire on April 30, 2004. The mitigation efforts are expected to be completed by that April date. During an annual inspection by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers in the summer of 2002, some discussions focused on whether it appeared that the mitigation work had been completed. It was decided that a detailed examination of the entire affected area be done to determine whether the requirements had been completed and to describe the nature of the wetland systems that have been created as well as established by natural recovery. At that time it appeared there was a strong convergence of created and natural wetland units with respect to their overall appearances. What was needed was a more detailed analysis to determine whether that apparent similarity was real or illusory. Starting in late July of 2002 a study of the wetland systems along about 6 miles of the Coal Creek corridor, which included this project, was conducted. The entire corridor was photographed and areas of established and re-established wetlands mapped and identified. The wetland units were also examined with respect to species composition, cover values, and function. A rough classification of the wetlands was also done to enable a distinction between the different types of wetlands in this area. Wetlands protected from grazing were compared to wetlands that were not protected to describe the influence of grazing. And finally, with the major drought that occurred in this area during 2002, an examination of the drought effects was made. This latter factor is particularly important with respect to the long term Coal Creek Wetlands and Wetland Mitigation DA Permit 198811488 August 2003 Page 1 of 23