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• of the Colorado Geologic Survey has determined that the <br />majority of the surface of the Bear Coal permit-mining plan <br />area is veneered by ancient and modern landslide deposits. <br />Land Use <br />Pre-mining use at the Bear No. 3 mine, and adjacent areas, <br />was primarily wildlife habitat. Limited residential use <br />occurred at the site. <br />Mining activity began in 1934 at the Bear No. 3 portal (the <br />old Edwards portal). This mine was operated by various <br />owners until it was closed in 1966. The vacant houses and <br />several small storage sheds were located on the surface <br />facility site. The houses are used as office space by Bear <br />Coal company. <br />The land affected by the Bear No. 3 portal and surface <br />facilities area will be returned to its past use - <br />undeveloped land providing wildlife habitat and limited <br />residential use. <br />B. Critical Resources <br />1. Cultural Resources <br />• The State Historic Preservation Officer noted in a letter <br />dated December 13, 1993, that there are no known cultural <br />resources within the project area. <br />2. Water Supply and Quality Values <br />The mine and processing facilities are located within the <br />North Fork of the Gunnison River drainage which drains <br />generally westward to the Gunnison River and subsequently <br />into the Colorado River. The North Fork drainage ranges in <br />altitude from 5,500 feet to 12,000 feet and drains 1,253 <br />square miles, producing an average annual discharge of <br />469,300 ac-f t, or an average discharge of 650 cubic feet per <br />second (cfs). The average annual discharge of the North <br />Fork of the Gunnison River adjacent to the mine site is <br />315,200 ac-f t, or an average discharge of 435 cfs. Peak <br />flows generally occur in May as a result of snowmelt and <br />minimum flows occur during the winter months. Maximum <br />discharge for the period of record (43 years) was 7,860 cfs <br />on June 4, 1957; minimum daily discharge of 17 cfs occurred <br />on November 10, 1950. <br />Surface drainage on the lease tract is directed to the North <br />Fork River. The tract is drained by a number of <br />comparatively small steep watersheds that empty directly <br />• 9 <br />