Laserfiche WebLink
'_~ ~ ` III IIIIIIIIIIIIIIII T I.L (..a~Y SS/U <br />United States Forest Grand Mesa, Uncompahgre and Norwood District <br />.' Department of Service Gunnison National Forest Norwood, CO <br />'Agriculture Phone: (303) 327-4261 81423 <br />Reply to: ~b0~ <br />Date: August 19, 1993 <br />Subject: Telluride Gravel <br />Response to Army Corps of Engineers Public Notice #1992755153 g1"~11~'1~ <br />To: District Ranger ^_~ ,\~y <br />Existing Conditions `~ <br />Gravel mining operations began on private lands within the stream channel <br />and floodplain of the San Miguel River in the 1970's. By 1988, these <br />operations had also expanded to adjacent National Forest lands. The gravel <br />company has excavated gravel material from within the stream channel and <br />surrounding floodplain, dredged and filled for berm construction, and <br />~~ channelized the stream. Approximately 118,000 cubic yards of material had <br />been excavated and removed from National Forest lands by 1993. Excavating <br />and removing this material has resulted in ground disturbance, the loss of <br />riparian vegetation, and erosion of the stream channel and adjacent <br />streambanks. The applicant has also extracted material from deposits at <br />the confluence of the South Fork of the San Miguel (South Fork) and main <br />stem San Miguel rivers. Excavating material at the confluence has <br />indirectly impacted approximately 20 acres of riparian and aquatic habitat <br />near the confluence and upstream. The loss of riparian vegetation, <br />riparian and wetland habitat, and degradation of the aquatic ecosystem has <br />reduced both the amount and quality of habitat available for terrestrial <br />wildlife, fish and other aquatic species. <br />Environmental Effects <br />Streambed excavation by the gravel operation is a major factor that has <br />contributed to off-site impacts including channel incision (downcutting), <br />upstream erosion (headcutting), streambank instability, and the loss of <br />wetlands and riparian vegetation in the San Miguel and South Fork rivers. <br />The stream channel ahd floodplain of the South Fork river have been <br />impacted from the confluence area to about 0.25 miles upstream and the <br />erosion is progressing upstream. The mainstem San Miguel River has been <br />impacted from the confluence area to several hundred feet upstream, toward <br />the county bridge. <br />U.S. Forest Service aerial photographs show the confluence area prior to <br />the gravel operation (1965), prior to excavation and construction of the <br />