2006-12-05_REVISION - M2001035 - Laserfiche WebLink

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Cumulative Impacts of the Proposed Action: Cumulatively, the water in the area is extremely altered; however the water quality is still good. The addition of this activity would change winter flows in the area, but would not add impacts to water quality. Finding on the 1?ublic Land Healtb Standard for Rater Quality: Water quality in the area is meeting standards and would continue to meet standards if the Proposed Action is approved. WILDERNESS, AREAS OF CRITICAL ENVI1tON114ENTAL CONCERN, WILD AND SCENIC RIVERS Affected Environment: The azea of the Proposed Action does not include Wilderness, ACECs, or Wild and Scenic Rivers. Environmental Consegnences/MiHgatlon: None of these special designations exist in the area of the Proposed Action, so there are no impacts. NON-CRITICAL ELEMENTS The following elements mast be addressed due to the involvement of Standards for Public Land Hea1W: C. SOILS (includes a finding on Standard 1)~ Affected Environment: The approximately 20 acres to be effected are alluvial materials that have eroded from the Trout Cieek prior to the reservoir construction. These materials are eroded gcanite. There are few fine soils in this fan. The nature of and sterility of the soils do not function well for vegetation growth, and are sparsely covered, primarily with weedy annular plants, and some shrubs with deep coot systems. The materials that were deposited occurred during storm events. According to pit sampling, this drainage outlet at some point in time remained floodless and functioned as a riparian area long enough to have established a soils material that would support plants and capture more silt and soil fine materials. The dept to these soils is approximately 7- 15 below the current sand /gravel materials that will be mined. It is likely that either granite rock outcrop or additional sand I gravelly materials would be found below these soils. Environmental Consegaences/Mitlgation: Proposed Action: The proposed mining operations will remove the sand !gravelly materials from the area, creating an approximately 20 acre low area. The newly exposed soils will have tittle ability to support vegetation for several years, particularly those continuously disturbed by the mining operations. Those areas that aze eventually contoured and stabilized, and protected fiom the mining operations maybe more supportive to vegetation. This will be somewhat dependent upon the amount of water each winter that is retained, and how quickly it 12