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boundaries that act as barriers to groundwater migration. The Purgatoire River is the <br />main surface water drainage in the region. Its headwaters originate west of the mine in <br />the Sangre de Cristo mountain range. Eventually, the Purgatoire flows into the <br />Arkansas River near Las Animas, Colorado, and approximately 120 miles northeast of <br />the mine. The Purgatoire River and its alluvial aquifer are significant sources of water <br />in the mine area. Portions of Apache Canyon, Santistevan Canyon, Wet Canyon, and <br />Ciruela Canyon are, or were at one time, located within the Golden Eagle permit area. <br />With the exception of Wet Canyon, which is perennial, these drainages are intermittent. <br />The climate of the region is characterized as semi-arid. The prevailing winds come <br />from the southwest and the mean annual precipitation is 16.9 inches. The length of the <br />growing season ranges from 90-110 days in the region. <br />Vegetation communities are diverse, ranging from low grassland communities in the <br />valleys to pinyon/juniper/oak brush and coniferous forest in the higher elevations. Soils <br />in the area can be shallow or non-existent on the steep, south facing slopes, but are <br />well-drained loams in the valleys bottom along the Purgatoire River. <br />R <br />