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an increase in summer residents has occurred due to development and sale of ranchettes in the area. Big game hunting in the region, particularly trophy elk hunting, is also an important land use and source of income to many of the local ranchers and outfitters. Permit Area The Lorencito Canyon mine is situated on 3142 acres of private land southeast of the town of Weston, Colorado. The 7.5 minute series topographic map of the Little Pine Canyon Quadrangle depicts the majority of the permit area. Elevations within the permit area range from 6600 feet above mean sea level in the northeast part of the permit area to 7350 feet in portions of the southern permit azea. Steep slopes and rugged canyons generally describe the topography of the permit area. With the exception of relatively, narrow, flat canyon floors of Lorencito and Cow Canyons, most of the permit azea is dissected by V-shaped side drainages to the main canyons. These drainages are rimmed by steep, rocky outcrops, and watersheds are divided by narrow, sharp ridges. Four main canyons are situated within the permit boundary. Cow Canyon bounds the permit area on the west. Lorencito Canyon and Little Jeff Canyon are located in the eastern portion of the permit area. Jeff Canyon runs west to east through the center of the permit azea and Puertecito Canyon bounds the permit area on the south. Surface mining activities will generally be focused in Lorencito Canyon and on the north ridge of Jeff Canyon. Land use of the permit area is dominated by rangeland/wildlife habitat. Ninety-nine (99) percent, or 3117 acres, of the permit area is, by Coal Regulation definition, rangeland/wildlife habitat. Cropland and irrigated cropland occupy 25 acres, mainly along the Purgatoire River alluvial valley floor. In addition to the two main drainages within the permit area, Lorencito and Cow creeks, numerous other drainages exist within the permit and adjacent area. Chimney, Jeff, Puertecito, Little Pine, Bonita, Alamosa, and Little Alamosa creeks all drain areas within the permit and adjacent area. Only Lorencito creek demonstrated perennial flows during the baseline collection period. Minimum flows at all other sites were recorded as zero at least once during the baseline period. Lazge flows occur down ephemeral drainages in response to intense precipitation events, typically during the months of July, August, and September. A flow of 240 cubic feet per second was recorded at the mouth of Little Pine Canyon. Snowmelt contributes only a small percentage of total runoff, as infiltration and sublimation likely account for most of available snowmelt waters. Soils in [he permit area are thin, and in places, non-existent. The exception is the valley bottoms, where soils are moderately well developed. Clay loam, with a low infiltration rate, describes the majority of soils in the azea. Vegetation in the permit area is dominated by an oak/pinyon community. Most of the land in the permit area, with the exception of the canyon bottoms and a few small grassland meadows, would be rated poor for suitability as rangeland.