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The areas designated as undeveloped lands show no evidence that might <br />• indicate the land use has changed within the preceeding five years. <br />Most of the area has been allowed to remain in its natural state never <br />having been developed for any other use other than that which might be <br />necessary to facilitate underground mining. <br />Land Condition Capability and Productivity <br />The present condition of the permit area can be described as poor for <br />any other major use besides mining at the present time. A combination <br />of existing mining and previous disturbance have led to this condition. <br />The soils within the area to be disturbed by the surface facilities of <br />the underground mine are limited in their agronomic usefulness. Because <br />of the constraints imposed by the compact nature of the areas <br />surrounding the North Fork of the Gunnison River, utilizing the area as <br />range land would be highly unlikely. Likewise, commercial plant <br />production such as using the area for cropland would be extremely <br />limited because of the limit of flat terrain. <br />~drologic Capability <br />As explained and detailed in the discussions under the Hydrologic <br />sections, the available surface water supplies in the permit and <br />adjacent area is limited to the flow found in the North Fork of the <br />Gunnison River. Most ground water is limited to the amount found in <br />wells in the alluvial material found in the base of the river valley. <br />Only minor amounts of water have been encountered during the existing <br />and past underground mining; therefore, groundwater supplies would be <br />extremely limited outside the extent of the actual valley. Although <br />water flow in the North Fork of the Gunnison is sufficient to support <br />other land uses, the extent of area capable of benefiting from that <br />water in the immediate area of the Bear Coal Company operations is <br />limited or non-existent. <br />• <br />2.04-3 <br />