2004-11-09_REVISION - M2000016 (11)

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D & S MINING PROPERTIES The three D & S Mining properties (Maps 1 and 2) are all different. The southern parcel (located just north of the Chikuma property and east of the Myrna property) consists mostly of a high flood plain terrace along the South Platte River, which runs along the east side of the parcel. Big Dry Creek enters the property in the southwest corner and meanders across the western half of the property and exits the site in the northwest corner. Stands of plains cottonwood trees occur along Big Dry Creek and also along the South Platte River. The site is used for livestock grazing. The western D & S Mining parcel is located just north of the MFM property. This parcel has been partially mined for aggregate and is characterized by excavated ponds and areas disturbed by the mining process (the site has not yet been reclaimed). The northern parcel of the D & S Mining property is crossed by an irrigation ditch which is fed from a diversion on Big Dry Creek, just upstream from its confluence with the South Platte River. The ditch carries water northward and supplies a variety of feeder ditches. Wetlands on the southern parcel are associated with the South Platte River channel and Big Dry Creek (Map DS-1). Most of the wetlands on this part of the D & S Mining property occur in association with the drainage channels that can be avoided during the mining process. The second parcel of the D & S property consists of a site that has already been partially mined. Wetlands on this property occur in association with excavated ponds and with an irrigation ditch that is located on the west and north sides of the property (Map DS-2). Shallow water areas in the two large ponds would be considered to be wetlands along with the wetland vegetation that has developed around the pond margins. There are also several depressions where water persists for long enough periods to support wetland species. These wetlands are not jurisdictional because they are isolated and also because they are associated with an active, permitted mine. The third parcel of the D & S property is located northeast of the second parcel (Map DS- 2). Wetlands occur in association with an irrigation ditch that carries water diverted from Big Dry Creek. The diversion head gate is located on the Morton property and diverts much of the Big Dry Creek flow. There are wetlands that occur n1 the saturated zones and topographically low areas adjacent to the irrigafion ditch. There is also a very large wetland area on the eastern part of this property. All of the area east of the berm created by the excavation of the irrigafion ditch supports a large wetland area that extends eastward onto the adjacent property. Field observations suggest that at times this area is dry enough to allow for farm equipment to work in the area, however in 2004, standing water and saturated soil conditions characterized nearly all of the area. Shallow, open water areas occurred along Highway 52 and extended southward for several hundred feet. The vegetation in the area is dominated by hydrophytic species, suggesting that saturated conditions commonly occur in this area. The source of water in this area comes, at least in pazt, from surface runoff. Some of the wet conditions may be related to a locally high water table. Also, Highway 52 may be playing a role in restricting the natural northward flow of water. (The wetland area also occurs on the north side of Highway 52). While this wetland is large, it is non-jurisdictional because it is not connected with waters of the United States or with other jurisdictional wetlands. Descriptive summaries of wetland areas are presented in Table DS-1. -47-