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bicarbonate and result in TDS levels of 150 mg/1. This aquifer is • occasionally used for domestic needs. The alluvia of Trout Creek and its tributaries are important sources of ground water. The al~.uvial bodies are used as water supplies, provide subirrigation to vegetation,'and supply base flow to the streams. The alluvial bodies are recharged by both the streams and the bedrock aquifers. The mine is located in the upper reaches of the Yampa River Hasin. The proposed permit area and adjacent areas are drained by Foidel Creek, an intermittent stream and Fiah Creek, a perennial stream. Pish Creek drains east into Trout Creek whereas Foidel Creek rugs northeast to Middle Creek before joining Trout Creek. The Fish Creek and Foidel Creek drainages have. been affected previously by surface mining upstream and downstream of the underground mine's existing surface facilities. Alluvial valley floors have been identified within and downstream of the proposed permit area on Fieh Creek, downstream from the proposed permit area on Foidel Creek, at the confluence of Foidel and Middle Creek, and on Trout Creek from its confluence with Middle Creek downstream to the Yampa River. Technical revision 14 (TR-14) approved the undermining and subsequent subsidence of a small portion of Fish Creek between the Fish Creek borehole facility and county road #27. The operator successfully demonstrated no adverse impacts to the alluvial valley floor would be realized. Rigorous monitoring is in place to verify this demonstration. Details can be found in the appropriate sections of this document as well as the permit itself. The climate within the area is semi-arid with an annual precipitation of 14.6 inches. Approximately 45 percent of this precipitation occurs during the growing season of April though September. Temperatures generally range from 85°F in July to 3.6°F in January. • Two broadly classified soil complexes exist within the permit area. These are Typic Paleoborolls - Sorollic Camborthids and Argic Cryoborolle - Cryic Paleoborolls. All soils except for approximately three acres have already been disturbed by surface mining. However, prior to mining the Typic Paleoborolls - Sorollic Camborthids soils covered the disturbed area. They occur primarily on uplands and are formed in materials weathered in place frog soft shale. These clayey soils are moderately deep to deep, well drained and usually contain less than 35 percent rock fragments. Permeability ie slow, shrink-swell potential is high and potential frost action is moderate to high. These soils are used for rangeland, non-irrigated cropland, and irrigated hay and pastureland. Vegetation in the vicinity of the mine is characterized by four major communities: grassland, mountain shrub, big sagebrush, and cropland; and by two sub-types: aspen and mountain shrub-rock outcrop. Within the Foidel Creek Mine disturbed area the prominent vegetation types prior to disturbance were big sagebrush and cropland ldryland small grains) . Numerous wildlife species inhabit the general area. The most predominant are elk, mule deer and grouse. Other wildlife species include: black bear, cougar, rabbit, coyote, bobcat, red fox, rodents, bate, skunks, waterfowl, amphibians and reptiles. Two golden eagle nests are located on sandstone cliffs adjacent to the disturbed area within the permit boundary for CYCC Permit No. C-81-071. There is critical winter habitat for elk, an elk migration corridor and elk calving grounds and critical sage grouse habitat within and adjacent to the proposed permit area. Sage grouse critical habitat is located outside of the disturbed area. Cultural and historic resources within the permit area include three historic ~ sites and one prehistoric or protohietorie site. Two of the historic sites • ~ are :undistinguished homesteads with no important architectural features and ~•..~~which are not associated with persons important in history. The other