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Cultural Resources ~ .. Cultural utilization in the area spans many thousands of years. Prehistoric and historic Native American use consisted of hunting, gathering and related pzocessing. Historic, Euro-American use consisted of small scale farming, ranching and mining. Previous cultural resource inventories immediately adjacent to the Cract have generally shown thaC prehistoric sites are ephemeral in nature and Euro-American sites are either homesteads or sites affiliated with coal production. Although the terrain is generally northfacing, rather precipitous and rather unsuitable for habitation, sites would be expected in 'the lowlands, ca 6100' near the Gunnison River, possibly near the springs in Sylvester Gulch, and in the West Flatiron area (8,500'). There were cultural resource inventories conducted in 1993 and 1994 associated with exploration drill holes, no cultural resources were found. An intuitive sample inventory based on existing cultural resources and environmental data of the tract is scheduled for completion by the fall of 199`. Legally definable inventory units will be used when possible. Uacer Resources Surface Water The tract is located within the North Fork of the Gunnison River (::orth Fork) Drainage Basin. The northern portion of the area is located on the North Fork mainstem. The elevation averages 7,200 feet above MSL. • Host of the tract is drained by several first and second order intermittent channels which enter the North Fork approximately 10 miles upstream (east) of t;ie town of Paonia, Co. The floe of the North Fork varies seasonally, with high flows occurring during spring from snowmelt. After snowmelt, flow:> begin to recede, reaching their low during winter. The 100-year flood even: produces a peak flow race of about 7,420 cubic feet per second. Theme are approximately 18 acres of the tract located within the 100-year floo<iplain of the North Fork of the Gunnison River. These lands are unsuitable for coal mining (Appendix A- CYiterion 16). Water quality data (inorganic constituents and suspended sediment coneentrations) for the North Fork indicates that generally, water quality is good. The water is an alkaline, soft, calcium-bicarbonate-sulfate type with total dissolved solids concentration averaging around 100 mg/1. The water is cold, with winter temperatures near freezing and summer temperatures in the 18-20 degree Celsius range. Suspendedsolids concentration averages near 50 mg/1 with maximum concentrations occurring during snovmelt, in the range of 2C0-250 mg/1. Both dissolved metals and nutrient concentrations are generally lov throughout the year. Surface water flow over the tract is in response to snowmelt and summer precipitation events. On the fee surface within the application area there are two adjudicated water rights (Hawks Nest No. 2 Pipeline and Havks Nest ;dater Supply). There are three adjudicated water rights on the Forest Service (Tony Bear Pipeline - Uampum Spring, Tony Bear Pipeline - Hogan Spring, and Tony Bear Pipeline - Wigvam Spring). On the BLM surface there • is one"adjudicated eater right (Havks Nest Pipeline No. 3). There are other i7