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Affected Environment: There are no prime or unique farmlands involved in the <br />proposed action or the alternative. <br />Environmental Consegaences/Mitigation: <br />Proposed Action: None. <br />No Action Alternative: None. <br />Cumulative Impacts of the Proposed Action: None. <br />FLOODPLAINS, WETLANDS & RIPARIAN ZONES (includes a finding on Standard 2) <br />Affected Environment: This action affects Trout Creek below a small reservoir <br />constructed by the proponents a number of years ago. Only a small amount of channel is on <br />BLM. This reservoir has resulted in a much altered hydrogragh below the reservoir. Basically, <br />winter only, reservoir spill flows in an existing channel that runs through flood deposit sediments <br />(sediments aze described in other sections). Through time prior to the reservoir, this flow path <br />has likely changed to various locations on the terrace below the mouth of the canyon due to <br />floods and channeling for agriculture protection. Because the current flow after reservoir <br />construction is so low and limited to winter, agriculture has been developed below where flow <br />would go without the reservoir. The proposed project will allow water that winter spills an <br />alternate point to sub than the hay field. During winter-eazly spring, surface water now appears <br />for a short time in the channel and likely will in the pit, but largely this is a dry channel the rest <br />of the yeaz. No riparian exists because no water is in this channeUarea during the growing <br />season due to the dam and reservoir (a few deep rooted riparian plants were the exception, but <br />not a community). <br />Environmental Consequences/Mitigstion: <br />Proposed Action: This pit will terminate some short term winter flow occurring in <br />most years prior to reaching a dormant agriculture field. The action does not really impact <br />wetland or floodplain resources beyond the major change to the system that the reservoir did <br />years ago. The system will flood again, possibly severely, but most years the plan as proposed <br />will accomplish the proponents' desired outcome and flooding in the field will be rare. There aze <br />no impact to these resources beyond those historic imgacts that greatly modified this lower basin <br />years ago. There appears to be limited opportunities to mitigate surface disturbance through <br />habitat enhancement because of the timing of flow. Over time, rare infrequent severe summer <br />storms, or extremely heavy late season high snow pack years will result in substantial flow <br />overtopping all planned pit work and the azea will flood into the field as flow heads towards the <br />Arkansas River. <br />Cumulative Impacts of the Proposed Action: Essentially this action removes a <br />small amount of sheet flow that is derived during a short period of ice build up and subsequent <br />