PERMFILE112460

• Permit No: C1981038
• IBM Index Class Name: Permit File
• Doc Date: 12/11/2001
• Section_Exhibit Name: VOLUME 9 - SOILS APPENDIX
• Media Type: D
• Archive: No

1.0 INTRODUCTION
• This report presents the results of a comprehensive topsoil assessment
on approximately 280 acres of land located approximately 3 miles north of
Paonia, Colorado. It contains a Second Order soil survey that describes the
soil resources found at the proposed Colorado Westmoreland Inc., portal site.
The report contains soils information as suggested by the Colorado Mined Land
Reclamation Division (CMLRD) and is consistent with the requirements of the
National Cooperative Soil Survey, 7th Approximation as supplemented by the U.
S. Department of Agriculture.
The intended land use of the area assessed by this soil survey will be
for the development of a portal site. Therefore soil will be salvaged and
used for reclamation of disturbed lands at a later date. The choice of phase
parameter utilized for classification reflects the needs of this land use.
The phase designation was used and made on the basis of soil profile depth
and buried horizons. All classification of the soils in this survey from the
taxonomic level of series and higher were made in accordance with the
National Cooperative Soil Survey.
2.0 STUDY AREA DESCRIPTION
2.1 LOCATION
The 280 acre study area is located in the eastern three quarters of the
northern one half of section 23 of Township 13 South, Range 91 West.
2.2 6EOMORPHOL06Y
The study area is traversed from north to south Dy two ephemeral
streams. Both streams are incised and actively downcutting, such that there
are no alluvial or fluvial soils within the study area. The ridge between the
two streams is narrow with very steep slopes, 60 percent or greater. The
ridge is covered with basalt colluvium containing many boulders greater than
10 inches in diameter. A few sandstone outcrops extend through the basalt
colluvium.
The areas east of Stevens Gulch creek and and west of East Roatcap creek
contain thick basalt colluvium which have been reworked by small slides and
slumps. In the northeast portion of the study area, just east of the Stevens
Gulch creek a small area of shale .has had the basalt colluvium covering
partially removed. The soils from this area have the characteristics of the
shale parent material and are the only occurrence of such soil within the
study area.
2.3 CLIMATE
The study area has a semi-arid continental climate. Long term
climatological data indicates that the mean annual temperature and
• precipitation are 44 degrees F and 14 inches, respectively.