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were flooded or possessed an elevated groundwater table close enough to the surface to saturate the major portion of the rooting zone or the upper most foot of topsoil during the growing season. Four of these five plots which were dominated by wetland vegetation where Foxtail Bazley (FACW) as the dominant species. The other plot was dominated by Baltic Rush (FACW) and Foxtail Bazley (FACW) was a subdominant species. Unfortunately, both of these species as we have been informed by Mr. Ken Jacobson, in previous inspections (most recently in June of 2004 during the inspection of Stagecoach Reservoir) are very poor indicators and probably should not even be considered as wetland indicator species. Foxtail Barley (FACW) is notorious as a weedy invasive species, more indicative of disturbance than as a reliable wetland indicator. Baltic Rush (FACW) has similaz limitations. Adjacent to this site, it is the dominant species in places growing on the railroad bed embankment, approximately 4 to 5 feet above the current level of the undisturbed ground and under conditions that would never possess an elevated groundwater table or would ever be flooded. Excluding these two species would result in neazly all of these plots being dominated by upland vegetation and hence would not be considered to be wetlands. Total acreage of the project site. Respo°se: The area evaluated in this wetland delineation corresponds to the area to the west of the currently staked Colorado Division of Minerals and Geology Mine Permit Boundary. This area extends south and westward from the existing mine disturbance area to First Street and the property fence line on the west and the property boundary fence line on the south. The area evaluated in this wetland delineation effort was 406,048 SF or 9.3216 acres. Existing field conditions such as the season and flood/drought conditions. Response: At the time of the initial field inspection on 5 March 2005 the site was mostly free of snow, but in places there was 3-4 inches of snow present on the site. Atl of the lower elevational and depressional areas contained several inches of frozen ice, making it impossible to see the vegetation underneath the snow and ice. When examined the site a second time on 5 April 2006, the snow and ice had completely melted and the wetland boundary staking was completed. When the site was last examined on 18 Apri12005, the site was covered with approximately 4-5 inches of snow that fell the night before and which was rapidly melting. Within, three to four hours, all of the snow had melted and the site was very wet and muddy. During the last three times we traveled to the site, the Yampa River just upstream was flowing beyond its banks and in places was nearly one half mile wide. During this period the site was not yet in the defined growing season as evidenced by the soil temperature data collected on 18 August 2006, which is found in each respective field data sheet, but it is felt that this evaluafion occurred during the wettest period of the yeaz. A discussion of the hydrology source (subsurface or surface, including potential irrigation influence) and drainage gradients. Response: As mentioned in the previous discussion on the wetland types, the site is dominated by two hydrological sources. The most pronounced hydrological feature on this site is that of surface water which collects in the depressional areas of the site. The second and apparently most pronounced hydrological influence on this immediate site deals with the historic mine dischazge waters which were pumped from the current mine pits almost continuously in 2003 and during most of 2004 and released on the site in the form of irrigation on this site. All of the surface waters appear to exit the property by entering the Jones Slough, which appear to be totally dischazged into the Yampa and M Ditches and it is unknown whether or not any of these waters return to the Yampa River. It is unknown what influence if any the Yampa River has on