GENERAL39079 - Laserfiche WebLink

Home Browse Search

' Pikeview Quarry Environmental Assessment Page 35 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 Table 3.6 -Pikeview Quarry Gravel Truck traffic: average # loads leaving the quarry per day Year Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec 1995 61 97 128 118 143 I51 136 123 243 260 161 153 1996 68 100 123 202 209 214 130 I50 159 252 173 179 1997 89 117 147 146 154 187 139 136 152 180 116 147 1998 132 165 138 ]77 206 201 203 188 242 185 120 175 1999 199 105 173 138 189 237 184 166 216 200 174 188 Average I10 117 142 156 180 198 158 153 202 215 149 168 Note: These figures need to be doubled in order [o determine the total amount of trucks leaving and entering the quarry. Mean averages are loaded on Monday through Saturday operations. Seasonal activities change the level of the noise in many azeas of the EI Paso County. Noise levels are highest during the summer months as a result of summer recreation use and the activities associated with road maintenance. However. the azeas in the immediate vicinity of the proposed project are predominantly residential, and thus seasonal changes in traffic count are not expected to be significant. 3.3 Biological Environment 3.3.1 Aquatic Biology Aquatic life in the project area is limited by the availability of water and suitable habitat. The intermittent drainage above the quarry on National Forest System land flows only during rain and snowmelt events and does not provide suitable habitat for aquatic life. There aze no natural drainages or water bodies within the existing quarry on private land that provide habitat for aquatic life. These drainages have all been altered and relocated to accommodate mining and are designed to convey water through the mined azeas into the tributary of Douglas Creek below the quarry. Downstream from the quarry only a short section of the creek, approximately 0.85 mile remains un-channelized. This section of the creek has a perennial flow but has been impacted by channel degradation as previously described under Hydrology (section 3.2.3). It is possible that this segment of the creek could support aquatic macroinvertebrates, amphibians, and possible small fish, but the aquatic habitat potential is quite limited due to the instability of the stream channel. Specific information chazacterizing the aquatic community is not available. 3.3.2 Wetlands There are no wetland areas inside the boundazies of the proposed mine, or on National Forest Service system lands adjacent to the proposed project. As previously described under Hydrology (section 3.2.3), the riparian vegetation community along a short section of the unnamed tributary drainage to the east of the Pikeview Quarry has become incised due to Hydrosphere Resource Consultants, 1002 Walnut Street Suite 200, Bouldcr, CO 80302