PERMFILE56045

• Permit No: M1999005
• IBM Index Class Name: Permit File
• Doc Date: 3/26/1999
• From: DOW
• To: DMG
• Media Type: D
• Archive: No

STATE OF COLORADO • • REFER ro
Bill Owens, Go7remor
DEPARTMENT OF NATURAL RESOURCES Gp1A~Apo
DIVISION OF WILDLIFE
AN EQUAL OPPORTUNRV EMPLOYER ri~
John W. Mumma, Director ,,??
6080 Broatlway ~~ OF
Denver, Coloratlo 801167000
Telephone: [phone]
For Wildlife-
For People
foraging.
3. The Division believes that buffers, a minimum of 100 feet wide should be left on all sides of
the lake, to min;mi~e soil erosion and bank degradation Buffers would preferably be seeded to
native grasses. The possibilty of planting grasses that waterfowl, particularly geese, feed on could
help mitigate some of the goose concentration problems that the city of La Junta experienced this
winter.
In addition:
The mining plan calls fora 200 foot setback from the Arkansas River channel. The CDOW
suggests that a more appropriate setback would be 200 feet from the edge of the riparian
vegetation present at the site. The riparian zone in this area supports white-tailed deer, wild
turkeys, bobwhite quail, pheasants, wintering ducks and geese, and a myriad of other species.
The setback would minimize any undo disturbances to these species, in addition to conserving
important riparian habitats that these species use.
State endangered suckermouth minnows are known to occur above and below the project site.
Suckermouth minnows require shallow, gravelly, silt-free stretches of river for breeding purposes,
thus, any direct [Wining activities within the river channel or channelization of the river could
conceivably result m negative impacts for this species. During the site tour, Mr. Kite indicated
that nursing within the river channel might be considered as an option, thus our concern.
If tamarisk (salt-cedaz) is removed at any point during mining operations, the Division suggests
reclamation to the native cottonwoods and willows.
Regazding the speciScs of the mining operation, the Division suggests:
Any soil that will be stockpiled for one growing season be temporarily seeded to min;mi~e losses
to wind and water erosion.
Reclamation can be done concurrent with mining activities, either on an acre for acre basis, or on
a `mining phase' basis. Doing so m;n;mbQS the azea disturbed at any one time, as well as allowing
the permittee to measure reclamation efforts and redo any unsuccessful phases.
DEPARTMENT OF NATURAL RESOURCES, Greg Welctter, E7mcuthe Director
WILDLIFE COMMISSION: Chuck LeAiv, Chair • Mark LaValley, Vico-Chair • Bernard L. Black, Seuerary,
Rick Enstrom, Member • Philip Jart7ea, Member • Marianne RaRopouba, Member • Amaki Salazar, MPmber • Robert Shoanaleer, Me7tber