Laserfiche WebLink
Munger Canyon contains an ephemeral channel which is tributary to East Salt <br />Creek. Ground water in the alluvium and colluvium of Munger Canyon is at <br />depths greater than 40 feet and thus is too deep to support subirrigation of <br />crops. <br />Ephemeral tributaries to Munger Canyon will be planned to be undermined during <br />the five-year permit period and life of mine. Two ephemeral tributaries to <br />Big Salt Wash; Buniger and Stove Canyons, will also be undermined during the <br />five-year permit period and life of mine. <br />The climate in the region is semi-arid. Prevailing winds at or near ground <br />level at the mine are dictated by the orientation of the deeply incised <br />Munger Canyon and occur from the north-northwest. The annual average <br />precipitation recorded at Fruita (21 miles southeast of Munger Canyon) is <br />8.8 inches. Mean monthly temperatures recorded at Grand Junction range from <br />26.6 to 78.7°F, and mean annual temperature is estimated at 52.7°F. <br />The soils mapped in the permit area consist of the Glendive, Havre, Nihill and <br />Rivra series, which are well to excessively drained and have formed in <br />alluvial or colluvial sediments. Soils are deepest in the valley bottoms and <br />become shallower along the canyon sideslopes where they intersperse with bare <br />rock. All of the soils are rated good to fair as sources of topsoil for <br />reclamation. Limitations exist, however, for subsoils in the alluvium which <br />demonstrate strongly alkaline pH values. <br />The mine occurs within the lower montane climax region. Four distinct <br />vegetation types occur within and adjacent to the permit area. A greasewood <br />shrubland type occupies the flat terrain along the East Salt drainage. Big <br />sagebrush shrubland occurs along drainages and sidedraws to East Salt Creek <br />where soils are deep and well drained. Shadscale shrubland borders the <br />greasewood shrubland along the dry, steeper, south-facing slopes in the <br />shallower soils, which are interspersed with rock outcrops. finally, Juniper <br />woodland is found along the ridgetops and steep north and west-facing slopes <br />of shallow soils and rock outcrops. These vegetation types are common to <br />western Colorado and Utah. <br />The existing rail loadout is located in Loma, Colorado along a previously <br />disturbed loadout siding leased from the Denver and Rio Grande Western (D&RGW) <br />Railroad. <br />3. Description of the Operations and Reclamation Plan <br />The existing operation consists of the bench, portal and face-up developments, <br />and access road. Due to the temporary cessation status of the mine, the <br />additional surface facilities proposed for construction during the initial <br />five-year permit term have not yet been installed. <br />These facilities consist of two sediment ponds, topsoil stockpiles, an <br />underground development waste pile and a relocated access/haul road. Once the <br />mine re-activates, however, these facilities will be constructed along with <br />the central facilities area, coal processing waste embankment and <br />interconnecting haul road and conveyor system. <br />-8- <br />