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~=~' ~~~ <br />Map 2 also shows the surface water features of the permit and adjacent <br />areas. The permit area lies on the drainage divide between Middle Creek <br />to the north and Trout Creek to the south, both of which are tributary to <br />the Yampa River. All of the surface disturbed area of 5.6 acres is <br />drained by Trout Creek. <br />The surface facilities area shown on (tap 3 of this document was disturbed <br />prior to the enactment of the Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act <br />of 1977. Since quantitative vegetation data was not required when the <br />surface disturbance occurred at the Apex Mine, no pre~nining soils or <br />vegetation data was available. Therefore, the operator provided SCS <br />soils mapping and range site descriptions based on adjacent areas with <br />similar topoyraphy, aspect and parent material. Two soil profiles were <br />taken adjacent to the disturbed area on comparable gently sloping stream <br />terraces. Topsoils sampled were classified as poorly drained loam of an <br />average 8-inches in thickness. The subsoil ranged from 10-to 20-inches <br />in thickness and was mottled yellowish-red indicating a very high water <br />table. Aerial photos show that the vegetation of the disturbed area was <br />probably composed of four acres of mountain meadow community in the <br />valley bottom and 1.6 acres of mountain shrub on the hi llside. The <br />mountain meadow community consists of cottonwoods, willows and various <br />sedges indicating high moisture levels. The adjacent steep hillsides are <br />covered with mixed mountain shrubs dominated by Gambles Oak. <br />Extensive wildlife baseline studies which cover the Apex permit area have <br />been conducted by the Colorado Division of Wildlife and Colorado-Yampa <br />Coal Company, a nearby surface coal mine. No rare or endangered species <br />were identified within the Apex permit area. <br />