Laserfiche WebLink
' 3.2 Land Use <br />Land use in the mine area consists of wildlife habitat year round and <br />sheep grazing during the winter months, December through April. <br />3.3 Soils, Vegetation and Wildlife <br />Soils are derived primarily from sandstones and shales. Occasionally <br />the soil profile may exhibit considerable interbedding of parent <br />' materials. Much of the area has thin topsoil consisting primarily of <br />sandy loam. <br />Bottom land drainages are heavily covered with sagebrush. Sandy soils <br />on higher ground are covered with sagebrush, juniper trees, native <br />grasses and crested wheatgrass. The highest slopes are densely covered <br />with junipers and scattered pinyon pine. Native grasses are also <br />common on these slopes. The area provides habitat for mule deer, <br />pronghorned antelope, white-tailed prairie dog, badger, coyote, and <br />various species of raptors, upland gamebirds and small mammals. <br />' 3.4 Archaeological Sites <br />A major archaeological survey on C-023703 was performed prior to the <br />issuance of Colorado Mined Land Reclamation Division mining permit <br />C-018-81. There were no significant archaeological or historical sites <br />found at any of the proposed access roads or drilling sites. No <br />further archaeological surveys will be performed. <br />' 4.0 Hydrology <br />t 4.1 Surface Hydrology <br />' The major drainage fot the area to be explored is Red Wash, an <br />Rocks in the region are predominately consolidated sandstones and <br />shales. Based on previous drilling and hydrologic studies, <br />paleochannel sandstones are the main potential source of sub-surface <br />intermittent stream that flows to the south-southeast into the White <br />River. Red Wash tributaries form a dendritic pattern of relatively <br />deep, narrow gullies cutting the typically rolling terrain. Elevations <br />in the area range from approximately 5600 to 5600 feet above mean sea <br />level. <br />4.2 Subsurface Hydrology <br />