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WATER REPLACEMENT PLAN SPECIFIC DESCRIPTION _ TERROR CREEK • TOPOGRAPHY Terror Creek is a perennial stream and enters the North Fork of the Gunnison River at elevation approximately 6,000 fee[ above sea level. The drainage area is divided into two basic drainage patterns. The West Fork of Terror Creek and the East Fork of Terror Creek meet at elevation 7,160 feet above sea Ieve2. The Terror Creek basin drains approximately 29 square miles. The drainage pat- tern reaches into [he Gunnison National Forest and drains from areas exceeding 10,000 feet above sea level. Of the 29 square miles, 25.8 square miles lie outside of any existing or pro- posed leases. That is approximately 88.6% of the drainage basin. Because of the location of the proposed long-term lease, the only part of Terror Creek that could be affected is the West Fork of Terror Creek, and then Terror Creek after the confluence of the West and East Fork. ALLUVIAL/COLLUVIAL DEPOSITS The major parts of the West Fork and Terror Creeks have either very shallow alluvium or else alluvial sediments are not present. Only in a few locations where the gradient is more gentle than average was a greater thickness of allu- vial sediments desposited. The only area that could be influenced by potential mining is in Section 1, T.13S., R.92W. That area is designated the Morrell Cow Camp Area. A description of the Morrell Cow Camp Area follows. An almost linear stream channel originates on the north side of the watershed divide above Steven's Gulch and flows into Terror Creek. The channel begins at the steep slope of the basaltic rubble, which may overlie a ledge of the Mesa- verde sandstone. The stream channel is eroding Mesaverde strata along most of its course. There are several exposures of bedrock and a thin mantle of soil derived from weathered Mesaverde bedrock and the rubble cover along the main- stream and its tributaries. Many basaltic boulders have moved down the slope with the soil being formed and some are in the stream channel. There are no indications of significant alluvial sediments associated with this area. CWI proposes further shallow well monitoring to study this area further. SOIL TYPE The Paonia Area Soil Survey, January 1981, United States Department of Agri- culture, Soil Conservation Service identifies the drainage pattern after the confluence of West and East Forks as Torriorthents - rock outcrop, sandstone complex. The West Fork area is Fughes Loam, 25 to 60 percent slopes; and Del- son Very Stony Loam, 20 to 60 percent slopes. Because of lack of irrigation water, steepness of slope, roughness of topog- raphy and high elevation, no crops are irrigated in the Terror Creek Basin.