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H. Cultural Resources <br />Cultural utilization in the area spans many thousands of years. Prehistoric and historic Native American <br />use consisted of hunting, gathering and related processing. Historic, Euro-American use consisted of <br />small scale farming, ranching and mining. <br />Previous cultural resource inventories immediately adjacent to the tract have generally shown that <br />prehistoric sites are ephemeral in nature and Euro-American sites are either homesteads or sites affiliated <br />with coal production. Although the terrain is generally northfacing, rather precipitous and rather <br />unsuitable for habitation, sites would be expected in the lowlands, ca 6100' near the Gunnison River, <br />possibly near the springs in Sylvester Gulch, and in the West Flatiron area (8,500'1. <br />There were cultural resource inventories conducted in 1993 and 1994 associated with exploration drill <br />holes, no cultural resources were found. An intuitive sample inventory based on existing cultural <br />resources and environmental data of the tract is scheduled for completion by the fall of ].9.94. Legally <br />definable inventory units will be used when possible. <br />I. Water Resources <br />Surface Water <br />The tract is located within the North Fork of the Gunnison River (North Fork) Drainage Basin. The <br />northern portion of the area is located on the North Fork mainstem. The elevation averages 7,200 feet <br />above MSL. Most of the tract is drained by several first and second order intermittent channels which <br />enter the North Fork approximately 10 miles upstream least) of the town of Paonia, Co. The flow of the <br />North Fork varies seasonally, with high flows occurring during spring from snowmelt. After snowmelt, <br />flows begin to recede, reaching their low during winter. The 100-year flood event produces a peak flow <br />rate of about 7,920 cubic feet per second. There are approximately 16 acres of the tract located within <br />the 100-year floodplain of the North Fork of the Gunnison River. These lands are unsuitable for coal <br />mining (Appendix A- Criterion 16). <br />Water quality data linorganic constituents and suspended sediment concentrations) for the North Fork <br />indicates that generally, water quality is good. The water is an alkaline, soft, calcium-bicarbonate-sulfate <br />type with total dissolved solids concentration averaging around 100 mg/I. The water is cold, with winter <br />temperatures near freezing and summer temperatures in the 18-20 degree C range. Suspended solids <br />concentration averages near 50 mg/I with maximum concentrations occurring during snowmelt, in the <br />range of 200-250 mg/I. Both dissolved metals and nutrient concentrations are generally low throughout <br />the year. <br />Surface water flow over the tract is in response to snowmelt and summer precipitation events. On the <br />fee surface within the application area there are two adjudicated water rights (Hawks Nest No. 2 Pipeline <br />and Hawks Nest Water Supplyl: There are three adjudicated water rights on the Forest Service (Tony <br />Bear Pipeline -Wampum Spring, Tony Bear Pipeline -Hogan Spring, and Tony Bear Pipeline -Wigwam <br />Springl. On the BLM surface there is one adjudicated water right (Hawks Nest Pipeline No. 31• There <br />are other sources of water (USES water resources, stock ponds and intermittent springs) shown on the <br />West Elk Mine and Reclamation Plan, Map 37. See Table 1 for the adjudicated water rights. <br />Page 10 <br />