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• productivity in the stream. High turbidity can cause water tem- <br />peratures to rise and thus cause additional stress, especially <br />to cold water species. If elevated levels of suspended solids <br />persist for extended periods of time, fish populations in Parachute <br />Creek may be affected. <br />Colony will mitigate sedimentation problems as follows: Exposed <br />soils and ground surfaces will be quickly revegetated or otherwise <br />treated to reduce erosion. Appropriate sedimentation structures <br />will be constructed to catch sediments generated from disturbed <br />areas. No recognizable long-term increase in sediments is expected <br />from the operation. <br />Activities such as diversion of flow, road encroachment, and <br />dam construction will alter the aquatic habitat. Some channel <br />alteration will result from construction of the mine bench and <br />dam on the Middle Fork of Parachute Creek. Evaporative loss from <br />the impoundment created by this dam and some alteration in flow <br />• patterns in the Middle Fork will occur; the magnitude of these <br />impacts will depend upon the size of the impoundment. Diversion <br />of the streams will probably reduce the amount and quality of <br />aquatic habitat. Road encroachment and other streamside disturb- <br />ances may affect the riparian vegetation which provides cover <br />and shade, stabilizes banks, and provides habitat for terres- <br />trial organisms that are elements of the aquatic food web. <br />Damming of Davis Gulch and use of this area for processed shale <br />disposal will have little direct impact on aquatic organisms <br />of the Parachute Creek drainage. The relatively small surface <br />flow from Davis Gulch will be eliminated; however, this will be <br />replaced downstream of the dam by water pumped from the Colorado <br />River or water released from the Middle Fork reservoir. <br />If contaminants from the processed shale disposal area or spills <br />of oil or plant chemicals were to enter the surface flow of <br />n <br />~/ <br />H-16 <br />