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es[a'u.lislunen[; however, areas return.~d to cropland should bu <br />• usably [hc lirst year after shapin; anal topsoil rep].accr.;cn[ <br />if a fertilizer proCram is utilized. <br />Surface mining and removal of the 4:adc coal bed in the sub- <br />ject base areas cuould have minimal effect on the prnund-c:ester <br />system because the l:adge coal is no[ re6arded as a potential <br />aquifer and the overlying rocks do not normally }•ield adequate <br />water to caells'for ranch use. The principal impact would be <br />an increase in dissolved solids load contributed to the <br />Colorado River s;=stem because of increased leaching as g_our.d <br />water percolates Cl~rough reclaimed spoil materials. t~'iti <br />appropriate mitigating measures this increased lead probably <br />can be reduced to less than 150 tons per year, which prc~ably <br />• is no more than could occur `tom comparable coal mining epera- <br />lions elsewhere in northwestern Colorado. <br />Surface water characteristics and erosional stability should <br />eventually return to esentially.pre-mining conditions. <br />If fertilizer is use3, the lone term productivity of areas <br />returned to cropland shouJ.d apprcximatel}• equal the production <br />before mining, and a ten percent loss in production has been <br />projected for areas returne3 to grazing land. <br />short-term use of the subject area caould entail the complete <br />destruction of [hat portion of the ecosyateu~ where mining is <br />to take place, as well as any areas where roads arc constructed. <br />In addicion to these totally impacted areas, wildlife iniiab- <br /> <br />157 <br />