GENERAL32961

• Permit No: M1999002
• IBM Index Class Name: General Documents
• Doc Date: 8/18/1998
• Doc Name: COMMERCIAL MINE PLAN SUBMITTED TO BLM SECTION 7
• Media Type: D
• Archive: No

• The riparian zone along the West Fork Parachute Creek just upstream of its
confluence with Middle Fork Parachute Creek in R96W, TSS, Section 25 supports
numerous narrow-leaf cottonwoods and box elders (CIG 1995). This area provides
food and cover for mule deer, elk, waterfowl, and a small population of wild turkeys
regularly observed near the confluence of the West Fork and Middle Fork Parachute
Creek.
Irrigated meadows occur on both sides of Parachute Creek, and numerous small
ephemeral channels are located along its floodplain. These channels are associated
with tributary channels feeding the creek and ditches along the valley. Typical
riparian and wetland vegetation along Parachute Creek includes narrow-leaf
cottonwood, box elder, coyote willow, and Wood's rose (CIG 1995).
Jurisdictional wetlands are located along Parachute Creek within this reach of the
proposed pipeline (CIG 1995). Typically, these wetlands are confined to the creek
bottom and do not extend laterally along the irrigated meadows. The creek channel
is incised up to 10 feet over much of this reach of Parachute Creek (CIG 1995).
Smaller areas of irrigation-caused wetlands may also be present along the valley
floor. These areas are typically associated with seepage from irrigation ditches (CIG
1995).
7.9 THREATENED AND ENDANGERED SPECIES
• 7.9.1 Plants
Two plant species listed as threatened under the Endangered Species Act because of
their rarity and limited distributions are known to occur in the vicinity of the
Piceance Site. Lesquerella congests (Dudley Bluffs bladderpod) is restricted to
exposures of the Thirteenmile Creek Tongue of the Eocene Green River Formation,
where it occurs on knolls and ridge crests along Piceance Creek and Yellow Creek
and their tributaries on slopes generally less than 15 percent (BLM 1994). Physarin
obcordata (Dudley Bluffs twinpod) is also restricted to exposures of the Thirteenmile
Creek Tongue of the Green River Formation, where it occurs in barren, loose scree
on slopes generally greater than 20 percent, and to exposures of the Parachute Creek
member of the Green River Formation west of Calamity Ridge, where it occurs in
barren, loose scree on slopes with southerly or south-westerly aspects (BLM 1994).
In 1995 and 1996, American Soda contracted with a qualified botanical resources
consultant to conduct threatened and endangered plant surveys of portions of the
Piceance Site to be developed under its exploration plan and its experimental test
mine plan. The threatened and endangered plant surveys were conducted in late
May and early June 1995 and in early June 1996. Locations of threatened and
endangered plants were flagged as avoidance areas and mapped, and survey reports
were prepared and submitted to the BLM (Young and Young 1995, Young and
• Young 1996). These reports were included as attachments to the experimental test
mine plan (American Soda 1997d).
Amencan Soda, L.L.P. 7_41
Commercial Mine Plan
August 18, 1998