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-45- <br />IX. CLIMATOLOGICAL INFORMATION AND AIR RESOURCES (2.04.8 <br />Climatological data for the North Fork region is available from Paonia, 3 <br />miles due South and 1,500 feet lower in elevation than the mine site. <br />Information is presented on pages 59-70, Section 2.04 of Volume lA and in the <br />Climatology and Wind Direction Appendix, Volume 9. The average annual <br />temperature is 49.OoF at Paonia, with an average monthly mean of 24.5oF in <br />January and 71.9oF in July. At Paonia, the annual precipitation is 8 to 15 <br />inches. <br />The local climate of the North Fork airshed is strongly influenced by <br />microclimatic features - slope aspect, elevation, soil type, soil moisture <br />content and vegetation. The steepness of the terrain, together with the type <br />and amount of vegetation, orientation and range of elevation, are the major <br />controls of the diurnal wind patterns. The shape and orientation of the North <br />Fork valley is such that the drainage (or katabatic) flow is the dominant flow <br />for most hours of the day. Prevailing winds are from the south-southeast, <br />with wind speeds of 10 miles per hour occurring in June. Below Paonia, the <br />wind speed appears to decrease sharply as the air spreads over the lower <br />valley. Because of this strong drainage wind, frost pockets are not allowed <br />to form, thus creating a favorable microclimate for fruit tree farming. <br />Colorado Westmoreland Inc. has provided copies of the Emissions Permits from <br />the Colorado Department of Health, found in the Air Quality appendix of Volume <br />4. The proposed operation is in compliance: <br />X. TOPSOIL (2.04.9, 2.05.3(5), 2.05.4(2)(d), 4.06) <br />Soils within those portions of the permit area which have been or will be <br />disturbed by surface operations and facilities are generally deep, <br />well-drained, and vary widely in slope. Permeability values are low, thus <br />encouraging surface runoff. Asa result, the water erosion hazard is often <br />high. Generally, available water capacities are high, reflecting the <br />potential of these soils to store water for plant use. A generally shallow, <br />ranging from about 2 inches to 10 inches; and surface textures are generally <br />loams or clay loams with subsoils ranging from loams to clays. Basaltic <br />cobbles and stones are common throughout the profiles of most soils. Subsoils <br />in the vicinity of the west portal range from 4 feet to over 6 feet in <br />thickness and are rated good to excellent as plant growth media. The general <br />area is quite susceptible to landslides, especially in the steeper topography <br />of the mine bench area, and as such, the continual sloughing of colluvial <br />material in this area impairs horizon development. Information on soils can <br />be found in Section 2.04.9 of Volume lA and in Appendix 6 of the west portal <br />revision. <br />At the time the mine site was constructed during October, 1975, no topsoil was <br />salvaged during construction of the mine benches as this operation was <br />conducted prior to passage of the Colorado Mined Land Reclamation Act of <br />1976. However, soils analysis of the existing bench material (see the Soils <br />