Laserfiche WebLink
eh <br />ESPEY, HUSTON &ASSOCIATES, INC. <br />• <br />2.6 FISH <br />The intermittent nature of Curtis Creek and the FF Stream on the mine <br />plan azea provides a limited amount of sustained fishery habitat. Near the mine <br />plan azea, Curtis Creek is interrupted by two small stack ponds. These aze <br />manmade ponds constructed by levee embankments across Curtis Creek. Their <br />primary purpose is water retention for livestock. The ponds also offer limited <br />fishery habitat due to shallow depth and winter kill potential. Repopulation of these <br />azeas by migrating fish during high water periods of the spring season is precluded <br />due to a deeply incised azea of Curtis Creek just below Kritsas's stock pond to the <br />south of the mine plan azea. The 235-mile reach of Curtis Creek between Kritsas's <br />pond and Jensen's pond is the only perennial stretch of Curtis Creek. Above Jensen's <br />pond aze the headwaters of Curtis Creek which includes the FF Stream. These <br />headwaters aze intermittent, responding to snow melt, storm runoff and springs and <br />• seeps of the azea and dry up in summer. <br />Preliminazy observations of Curtis Creek, the FF Stream and stock ponds <br />within the mine plan azea indicate no Fish populations. These observations were <br />conducted during four quarterly samplings which coincided with the aquatic inverte- <br />brate sampling program. Also, a stream walk survey conducted to assess hydrologic <br />characteristics of Curtis Creek from the southern portion of the mine plan azea to <br />its confluence with the White River indicated no fish populations. This stream walk <br />was conducted during the week of 5 May, 1980 by NCC's Hydrology consultant. At <br />this time the consultant interviewed Mr. Geotge Kritsas, a local landowner. Mr. <br />Kritsas stated that it would be impossible for fish to migrate up Curtis Creek from <br />the White River to NCC's Rienau No. 2 (G-Seam) Mine sedimentation ponds, as <br />there is a 30-40 foot vertical drop at the head of the reservoir located immediately <br />upstream of his house. In addition, Mr. Kritsas stated that after June of most yeazs, <br />the stream flow is completely azrested by the reservoir and then flow resumes from <br />springs and seeps approximately 200-300 yazds below the reservoir. <br />• <br />L-12 <br />