2005-12-16_REVISION - M1988044 - Laserfiche WebLink

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MINING PLAN A. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service will be contacted and consulted regazding threatened and endangered species and the appropriate course of action taken to avoid harm to such species. B. The Colorado Division of Wildlife will be contacted and consulted regarding other species. C. Full consideration of the Fish and Wildlife Service and Division of Wildlife recommendations must be taken into account prior to disturbing the habitat. Coal Creek Stream Channel Setback: REQUIREMENT: No mining or deposition of overburden or other disturbances that can cause significant damage to the surface or the existing vegetation can occur within 100 feet of the neazest edge of the normal flow channel of Coal Creek. The 100 foot setback will be determined by the flow channel location at the time that mining will occur in nearby areas. This is roughly shown on the maps, but will be further defined as the need arises. Once defined, the setback will be clearly marked with posts and the markers maintained. Discussion: In the past, in stream and near stream mining has, at times, had various degrees of adverse impact on adjacent stream channels and vegetation. Although the in-stream mining was most commonly reclaimed to produce excellent wetland vegetation and/or grassed waterways, discussions during the leasing process led to a conclusion that the cost of consequential damages might actually outweigh the advantages produced by extracting the sand and creating the wetlands. It was also agreed that determining whether an action that produces both beneficial and detrimental consequences produces a net gain or a net loss is almost impossible based on our limited knowledge. As a result it was decided to simply leave the stream corridor alone and approach stream corridor improvement by addressing the upland dischazge of sediment into the stream channel. It is that accumulation of sediment that clearly has the most adverse effect on the riparian corridor. As has been demonstrated many times before and as described in the literature, if upland conditions contribute to the poor condition of a riparian area, repairing the uplands usually fixes the riparian problems without having to do anything to the riparian comdor itself. Determining the setback at the time of permitting is probably unwise because, as commonly occurs in these prairie streams, flow channels can and often do change their locations. Therefore, the setback must be determined at the time the mining is to occur on adjacent land rather than at the time of permitting. Coal Creek Sand Resource Amendment 3 (2005) - M-1988-044 Exhibit D Page 16