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<br />Oak Creek flows along the eastern limit of the permit area. The eastern <br />permit boundary is partially defined by the Trout Creek - Oak Creek drainage <br />divide, therefore, Oak Creek receives only a small portion of the runoff from <br />the permit area. Both perennial streams are incised into bedrock, with Trout <br />Creek draining approximately 54 square miles above the northern limit of the <br />mine, while Oak Creek drains approximately 32 square miles. Runoff events in <br />both these streams are dominated by snowmelt. Peak spring runoff occurs <br />slightly later in Trout Creek than in Oak Creek because the headwaters of the <br />former are located at a much higher elevation. <br />Mining operations facilities should not be significantly impacted by large <br />flood events from these streams. The Trout Creek floodplain is well below <br />proposed and existing mining activities. The loading facilities and office <br />area are adjacent to Oak Creek, but above the 100-year, 24-hour floodplain. <br />Landuse <br />Current and historic land use in the vicinity of the operation has been coal <br />mining, livestock grazing and wildlife habitat. Historically, coal has been <br />extracted from the mine area by both surface strip and underground methods. <br />Irrigated cropland in the area is limited to portions of the Trout Creek <br />alluvial body, and to the Yampa River floodplain. Non-irrigated crops are <br />grown on sloping upland areas, as well as on some alluvial bottom lands. Pro <br />cropland will be disturbed by the mining operation. <br />Topsoil <br />Topsoil within the permit area is discontinuous in the West and Center Ridge <br />areas, due to previous surface mining operations. The operator has estimated <br />that about 8.5 inches of topsoil wi17 be replaced on 84.0 acres in the West <br />Ridge Area. In the Moffat Area, abo~i 936 acres of reclaimed lands will be <br />topsoiled to a depth of 11 inches. <br />Vegetation <br />Vegetation in the vicinity of the mine is characterized by three vegetative <br />types; mixed brush, sagebrush grassland, and aspen. Mixed brush and sane <br />brush grassland communities form an intertwined mosaic on the predominantly <br />western and southern exposures while the aspen community predominates in mesic <br />sites within swales and north and ee.~t exposures. <br />Wildlife <br />Numerous wildlife species inhabit Ll~c general area of the mine site. <br />Predominant big game species are E11::•r~d Mule deer. Common raptors include <br />Golden Eagles, Red-tailed Hawl:s, Grer.i. Horned Owls, Harriers, and American <br />Kestrels. <br />-7- <br />