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1 Mule Creek Gravel Environmental Assessment • Page 4 <br />' compared to the proposed project. The Teller County Road and Bridge Department has <br />expressed an interest in using material from the proposed pit to improve roads north of <br />' Divide, while,most current gravel pits are located South of the proposed site. <br />It is anticipated that the primary use of the gravel from Mule Creek would be road base, <br />' and Teller County Road and Bridge has expressed interest in 90% of the material <br />(100,000 tons per year) from the proposed project. <br />' Meeting Teller County's needs by providing low cost aggregate for road construction is <br /> only part of the objective of the proposed project. In effect, the mining of the Mule <br /> Creek gravel pit would allow for the reclamation of a site that is currently abandoned, and <br />' that is responsible for excessive erosion and undesirable visual impacts. The proposed <br /> reclamation for the Mule Creek gravel pit would return the land to a more natural <br /> condition by reclaiming disturbed areas. <br />' <br /> 1.5 Forest Management Policies <br /> The proposed Mule Creek gravel pit is located within the Pikes Peak Ranger District of <br /> the Pike and San Isabel National Forest and Cimarron and Comanche National <br />' Grasslands. According to the Land and Resource Management Plan (Forest Plan) for this <br />area, the Mule Creek Gravel Pit would be located in a Management Prescription azea 2B <br /> (USDA Forest Service, 1984a). Areas designated 2B are to provide "opportunity for <br /> outdoor recreation in roaded natural and rural settings, including developed recreation <br />ear-round motorized and nonmotorized recreation <br />facilities and <br />" <br /> y <br />. <br /> Applicable management activities may include: Visual Resource Management, Wildlife <br />' Habitat Improvement and Maintenance, Reforestation, Special Use Management (non- <br /> recreational), and Mineral and Energy Resources. <br />t Visual resources aze managed so that management activities are not evident or remain <br /> visually subordinate. Past management activities such as historical changes caused by <br />' eazly mining, logging, and ranching may be present which are not visually subordinate <br />but appeaz to have evolved to their present state through natural processes. Landscape <br /> rehabilitation is used to restore landscapes to a desirable visual quality. Enhancement <br /> aimed at increasing positive elements of the landscape to improve visual variety is also <br />' used. <br />' Wildlife Habitat Improvement and Maintenance goals aze to maintain habitat capability <br />at 60 percent of potential capability for management indicator species, and to increase <br /> habitat diversity. <br />' Forest management activities aim to establish a satisfactory stand on cutover areas, <br /> emphasizing natural regeneration. The use of trees of [he best genetic quality available <br />' which aze adapted to the planting site when supplemental planting is recommended. <br /> Special Use Management (non-recreation) allows for uses that are complementary and <br />' compatible with the kind and development level of the associated Forest Service facilities <br /> Hydtosphcre Resource Consultants, 1002 Walnut Suite 200, Bouldcr, CO 80302 <br />