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EXHIBIT B -SITE DESCRIPTION lack, 7r. >~ Barbara Clark Upper Animas Sand & Gravel -August, 2005 This proposed mining operation is contained in a 5.9 acre site next to the Animas River in the Middleton area (Exhibit A-2). The entire 5.9 acre site is a part of the French Placer MS 45 owned by the Clarks. The active mining area will be kept at least 50 feet from the Animas River channel. The site is a gravel bar with minor amounts of topsoil. Vegetation is composed primarily of willows in the areas where topsoil is thickest, some range land and bank grasses, and scattered sage. Small spruce and cottonwood trees dot the heavier topsoil areas of the northern portion of the proposed site. The old railroad grade is just to the east of the site and will not be disturbed by this operation. An existing breach in the railroad grade will be used as the pit access route. A San Miguel Power transmission line also borders the eastern edge of the southern portion of the proposed site and will not be disturbed. The Clark's living quarters and shop lie just to the east of the proposed site. Access to this site will be from an existing road on the south side of the Clark's shop and residence (Exhibit E-1 Mine Plan Map). The elevation of this site is 9720'. Exhibit B-1 is a site map with contour and existing structures. Topsoil varies from 0 to approximately 3 feet on the southeast corner, east and north border areas (Exhibit B-2). Heavier concentrations of willows exist in these border areas. 60 percent of the site is a barren gravel bar. 20 percent of the site has scattered willows with minor overburden, and 20 percent has heavy willow concentrations with 2 to 3 feet of overburden. All areas to be mined or disturbed will have any existing overburden removed and stockpiled prior to disturbance. The areas of heavy willow cover next to the permit boundaries will not be disturbed. The overburden can best be described as a sandy to gravely loam. The topsoil overburden stockpiles will be seeded with a seed mixture recommended by the Natural Resources Conservation Service. The Animas River flows approximately 50 feet to the west of the proposed permit boundary. This river flows year round. The ground water associated with this river varies to depth depending on the flow rate of the river. Spring and summer heavy runoff periods see the ground water table rise to within 1 to 2 feet from the surface. At low water flow rates, the ground water table drops to