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Land Condition Capability and Productivity • The present condition of the area to be used for surface facilities of the Coal Gulch Mine can be described as poor for any other major use besides mining at the present time. A combination of past mining and previous disturbance have led to this condition. The soils within the area to be used by Peerless Resources have been disturbed by the past surface mining activities and underground mine operations. Regardless, the area to be used for surface facilities are limited in their agronomic usefulness. Because of the constraints imposed by the compact nature of the area of the proposed surface facilities, utilizing the area for other uses would be highly unlikely. Likewise, commercial plant production such as using Coal Gulch for pastureland would be extremely limited because of the limit of flat terrain, the lack of water, and the presence of State Highway 160 which dissects the lower part of Coal Gulch. • Hydrologic Capability As explained in the discussions under the hydrologic sections of this permit application, the available surface water supplies in the permit and adjacent area are limited. Coal Gulch is an ephemeral drainage. Lightner Creek is a perennial stream, but it is located outside of the permit area. The confluence of Coal Gulch and Lightner Creek is approximately one (1) mile downstream of the permit area. Most ground water is limited to the Lightner Creek and the Animas River. water have been encountered during therefore, groundwater supplies would extent of the Lightner Creek and Animas amount found in wells in the No, or only minor, amounts of the past underground mining; ~e extremely limited outside the River valleys. • • ,, Capability of the Land to Support a Variety of Uses • Physical and social constraints at the present time severely limit the variety of uses suitable for lands within or adjacent to the permit 2.04-3 ~ O 4 ~