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Environmental Assessment Bowie Resources, LLC. <br />' August 2005 Spruce Stomp Federal Coal Exploration License (150 - 200543) <br />3.3.4.3 Mitigation Measures <br />Conditions prescribed by GMUG (Section 2.1.1) detail requirements for preserving visual <br />quality. Other mitigations may include the following: <br />' 1. Cleared woody materials would be stockpiled and redistributed at pad sites. The <br />materials can be randomly placed in each area to conform to adjacent vegetation patterns. <br />3.3.5 Soils and Geology <br />The area of potential affect is comprised of the SSCEL and BRL's approved coal mine permit <br />' area. Geology and topography influence the formation of the SSCEL soils. Soil characteristics, <br />in conjunction with geologic characteristics and topography, influence the potential for erosion <br />and geologic hazards. <br />3.3.5.1 Affected Environment <br />Topography <br />Topography in the SSCEL is diverse, ranging from steep to relatively flat (BLM and GMUG <br />2000). Elevations vary from approximately 5,600 feet MSL near the town of Paonia in the North <br />Fork of the Gunnison River Valley to over 10,000 feet MSL in the mountains northwest of the <br />SSCEL. The terrain within the SSCEL is moderately rugged, with several drainages that are <br />separated by ridges. Elevations within the drainage extend from Rex Reservoir at 11,200 feet <br />MSL to the confluence with the North Fork of the Gunnison River at 5,470 feet MSL (USDA -FS <br />2001, BLM AND GMUG 2000). The SSCEL comprises 20 percent of the Terror Creek drainage <br />basin with elevations ranging from 9,300 feet MSL near Windy Point to 7,280 feet MSL on the <br />East Fork of Terror Creek. The SSCEL includes portions of the East and West Forks of Terror <br />Creek and Cunningham Creek. These drainages are described in Section 3.2.4, Water Quality. <br />Geology <br />The SSCEL is contained within the Paonia - Somerset coal field and are within the southwest <br />flank of the Piceance basin. The Piceance basin, located in western Colorado, is a large <br />structural basin that is of Laramide age. The larger Uinta basin is divided from the Piceance <br />basin by the Douglas Creek arch, located east of the Colorado -Utah border. The Gunnison uplift <br />forms the southwest boundary of the Piceance basin, while the Uncompahgre uplift forms the <br />western boundary. <br />The main coal beds in the vicinity of the SSCEL are found in the Paonia and Bowie members of <br />the Upper Cretaceous Mesaverde Formation (BLM and GMUG 2000). The Mesaverde is <br />overlain by the Tertiary Wasatch Formation and is underlain by the Upper Cretaceous Mancos <br />Shale. The coal- bearing zone rests immediately on top of the Rollins Sandstone member of the <br />Mesaverde Formation. <br />The Mesaverde Formation contains the coal - bearing zones and consists of sandstones, shales, <br />mudstones, siltstones, and claystones. In addition to the sedimentary units in the region, there <br />are isolated igneous intrusions, such as Iron Point. Iron Point is located in the central portion of <br />the SSCEL. <br />3 -39 <br />