Laserfiche WebLink
• 2.06 <br />2.06.8 Surface Coal Mining and Reclamation Operations on Areas, <br />or Adjacent to Areas, Including Alluvial Valley Floors. <br />The portion of the permit area planned to be disturbed <br />consists of colluvial material resulting from mass <br />wasting and erosion of the adjacent Mesaverde formation. <br />As erosion occurred, fractured sandstone, siltstone and <br />shale rocks moved by overland flow and gravity across the <br />Mancos Shale formation which underlies the lower area of <br />the planned disturbance. <br />Due to the high elevation of the area of planned <br />disturbance, subirrigation of the area is not possible. <br />In fact groundwater required for local domestic use is <br />not available within the upper portions of the <br />unconsolidated colluvial deposit. <br />Reconnaissance conducted of this site's specific geology <br />and surface land forms within the permit and adjacent <br />area resulted in the identification of an alluvial valley <br />• floor in the North Fork Valley below the site where <br />surface mining operations are proposed. The extent of <br />ground identified as alluvial valley floor is shown on <br />Map 24, Alluvial Valley Floor, presented in Volume II. <br />The alluvial valley floor is present in the adjacent <br />area. The North Fork of the Gunnison River lies in <br />stream laid sediments. The relationship of the permit <br />area with this alluvial valley floor is insignificant in <br />that no disturbance to the alluvial valley floor will <br />occur. Since the valley was settled in the early 1900's, <br />the alluvial valley floor has been cleared to accommodate <br />flood irrigation from water provided by the upland Deer <br />Trail ditch and Fire Mountain canal which divert water <br />from Hubbard Creek and the North Fork of the Gunnison <br />River, respectively. The lower area of planned <br />disturbance occupies a terrace of colluvial material <br />substantially above the stream laid deposits of the North <br />Fork of the Gunnison River. <br />• PEPMIT APPLIGTIOY 2 . U6 ~ 2 - <br />