1992-12-16_GENERAL DOCUMENTS - C1980007

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Soils of the West Elk Mine were mapped during the summer of 1976. Throughout the soil survey, "mapping units" were used to characterize the soils in the mine area. These survey mapping units are combinations of Soil Families or selected Great Groups and Subgroups according to the system of soil taxonomy used in the National Soil Survey Program of the United States. The survey is a general reconnaissance and the mapping units are broad in concept. Soils of the West Elk Mine were divided into eight morphological groups to depict the different kinds of soil genesis and major differences in distribution. The purpose of this classification was to assist in understanding the soil and its development. Vegetation - Rule 2.04. 10 Specific information regarding collection and analysis of vegetation can be found in Section 2.04. 10 in the permit document. The distribution of the land and vegetation types can be found on Map 42. The West Elk Mine collected baseline vegetation information in 1975 and 1976 by studying a designated environmental study area, which extends approximately one mile outside the permit boundary and mine plan boundary. This area is approximately 24,295 acres in size. This survey identified ten vegetation types and six land types . They are as follows : 1 ) Aspen, comprising 20 percent of the study area; 2) Douglas fir, comprising four percent of the study area; 3) Wet Mixed Shrub, comprising 48 percent of the study area, dominated by serviceberry and Gambel oak; 4) Dry Mixed Shrub, comprising it percent of the study area, distinguished by serviceberry, Gambel oak, Mountain mahogany, Cliff findlerbush, and bitterbrush; 5) oak, comprising one percent of the study area, including Gambel oak and the larger size oak individuals (15-20 ft in height) , which are limited to the bottom of permanent stream drainages; 6) Juniper, comprising five percent of the study area, which includes Rocky Mountain Juniper and Utah Juniper; 7) Riparian, comprising two percent of the study area, 8) Sagebrush, comprising six percent of the study area; 9) Wet Meadow, comprising one percent of the study area, distinguished by open boggy areas along major drainages above 7,000 feet and openings in brushy or forested areas at elevations above 8,000 feet, occupied by herbaceous species such as sedges and false hellebore; 10) Dry Meadow, comprising one percent of the study area which is dominated by various shrub species such as snowberry, Douglas rabbitbrush, and Gambel oak; 11 ) Barren Terrain, comprising less than one percent of the study area which was identified by no apparent vegetation cover; 12) Chained Area, comprising less than one percent of the study area, is so named because the area has been mechanically treated by chaining to remove tall shrub species and has been trenched along the contours and planted to ponderosa pine; 13) Reservoir, comprising less than one percent of the study area and includes Beaver Reservoir and Minnesota Reservoir; 14) Residential , comprising less than one percent of the study area and includes the town of Somerset; 15) Industrial , comprising less than one percent of the study area which includes the Somerset Mine, the Bear No. 3 Mine, railroad sidings , and mine vents ; and 16) Agricultural , comprising less than one percent of the study area. The two vegetations types that occur within the area to be affected by surface facilities are a dry meadow type and a moist, mixed shrub type. -20-