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Mr. Gregg Squire • • Page 2 December 30, 2000 implementation of this program is expected to address concerns concerning the introduction of noxious weeds and non-native species. Item 3 -Visual and noise buffers. The operator intends on placing topsoil round the southern edge of the property to provide a visual buffer from the frontage road. In the area of the slough, the operator will plant a vegetative barrier between the pits and the slough using cottonwoods and willows. These trees will be planted on the southern edge of the fifty (50) feet barrier left to protect the slough from mining. The cottonwoods are expected to be 6 to10 feet high and will be planted on approximate 35 feet centers. The willows will be planted by cutting small branches from live trees and planting these sprigs along the bank of the slough. The willow sprigs will be on three (3) to five (5) feet centers. The operator will plant the trees for the visual barrier as mining starts in an area. The trees used for the visual barrier are expected to provide a basis for infiltration of cottonwoods and willows into the reclaimed areas of the west property line to horse fence and slough to east property line mining areas thereby complementing the trees planted around the periphery of the ponds during reclamation. ltem 4 - lmpact of renewable resource mining on heron rookery. The operator intends on mining the renewable resource area on an intermittent basis and only during low flow periods in the Colorado River. The low flow period is generally expected to be between October I and March 3 I. However, the low flow period will vary depending on snow pack and weather conditions in the drainage basin. As such the renewable resource area operating schedule may vary from that mentioned above if the water level in the Colorado River is low enough to allow safe mining in the renewable resource area before or after the above mentioned dates. After the initial mining of the renewable resource area, the frequency of mining will be determined by the rate of recharge and is expected to be variable ranging from as frequently as annually to as low as once every five years. The mining of the renewable resource area in the fall and winter of the year is expected to have minimal impact on the heron rookery as the nesting usually takes place in the spring and summer. Item 5 -Native fish. The ponds aze incised anywhere from 15 to plus 30 feet. As such there is not any easy way to completely drain the ponds other than pumping. The operator is considering a commitment to plant only salmonid species in the ponds to control the planting ofnon-native fish species. This approach is being considered since the ponds in the west property line to horse fence, slough to east property line and Dry Creek mining azeas are in the 100 year floodplain and are expected to be covered by one to four feet of water if these type of high flows occur. In tfiese high tlow circumstances, outlet protection is ineffective and therefore is not considered. Item 6- Public Access. The operator does not wish to consider this public access to the reclaimed area at this time.