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1 <br />Pikeview Quarry Environmental Assessment Page 25 <br />~ <br /> 3 Affected Environment <br /> <br /> 3.1 Introduction <br />' <br /> This section of the EA describes the physical, biological, and human environment of <br /> the azea that may be affected by the implementation of the proposed action and the <br /> alternatives previously described. The environmental information presented in this chapter <br /> provides the baseline for evaluation of impacts. The Physical Envirortment section <br /> describes the geology, topography, soils, hydrology, water quality, air quality, and noise <br /> chazacteristics of the area. The Biological Environment section describes the aquatic <br /> biology, wetlands, vegetation, wildlife and threatened and endangered species found in the <br /> study azea. The section on the Human Environment describes cultural resources, recreation, <br /> and socioeconomic and visual resources. <br /> The environmental baseline information presented in this chapter has been developed <br /> through several previous study efforts, as well as field inspections carried out in June and <br /> July of 2000, and in May of 2001. Those studies include the Cultural Resources Survey (see <br /> letter in Appendix B.1). Information from these studies has been summarized and updated <br /> to provide a description of environmental, cultural and socioeconomic conditions for the <br /> area. A complete list of information sources and references is provided at the end of this <br /> document. <br /> <br /> This EA focuses primarily (but not exclusively) on aspects of the physical, biological, <br /> cultural and socioeconomic environment related to issues and concerns raised during the <br /> scoping process. There are a total of fifteen resource categories that are addressed in this <br /> EA. The level of detail included for each resource category varies according to the <br /> availability of information and the potential for impacts. <br /> <br /> 3.2 Physical Environment <br />' 3.2.1 Geology <br /> The Pike National Forestts located within the Rocky Mountain Physiographic <br />Province. Numerous mountain ranges of varying elevations are interspersed with broad <br /> gentle valleys, steep-sided V-shaped canyons and some U-shaped glaciated valleys. <br /> Elevations range from 5,000 feet where the mountains rise from the plains to ] 4,433 at Mt. <br /> Elbert. The Continental Divide forms much of the western border of the Pike and San <br /> Isabel National Forests. <br />1 The Front Range of the Rocky Mountains is the Longest continuous uplift in Colorado, <br /> extending from Canon City northward to the Wyoming border. The eastern slope is <br /> <br /> Hydrosphere Resource Consultants, 1002 Walnut Sveet Suite 200, Boulder, CO 80302 <br />1 <br />