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but weedy annuals such as cheatgrass, yellow alyssum, and filaree are still dominant in the <br />herbaceous understory. Again, these species are all upland associated, and no soils, <br />vegetation or hydrologic evidence of wetlands was recorded within the ephemeral drainages. <br />With regard to the potential presence of waters of the U.S. within the ephemeral drainages, no <br />evidence of a defined streambed or channel was observed within any of the proposed <br />disturbance areas in the drainages. As discussed, the coal refuse facility drainage is the only <br />drainage mapped with a blue line by the USGS. This drainage was not.delineated in the field as <br />waters of the U.S. for the following reasons. First, the drainage contains no wetlands and did <br />not exhibit any characteristics of waters of the U.S. (i.e., there was no evidence of a defined <br />streambed, channel, or streambank. Second, the drainage has no connection to other waters of <br />the U.S. The lower end of the drainage empties onto a small, flat alluvial fan vegetated entirely <br />by upland species. This alluvial fan area is further separated from any possible connection to <br />the North Fork Gunnison River by a naturally occurring ridge as well as by the existing railroad <br />right-of-way and State Highway 133. There are also no culverts under the railroad right-of-way <br />or State Highway 133 in the vicinity of the drainage outflow area indicating any past drainage <br />connection to the North Fork Gunnison River. Photos 1 and 2 document the lack of any <br />• evidence of wetlands or other waters of the U.S. within the proposed coal refuse facility <br />ephemeral drainage, while Photos 3 and 4 document the upland characteristics and.lack of any <br />defined drainage channel ai the lower end of the drainage. <br />