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• Study Methods <br />As [here are no perennial streams within the proposed mine plan area of Trapper <br />Mine, site selections for Che macroinvertebrate survey were based on the 1966 <br />USGS field survey of drainages and the field observations of Trapper Mine's <br />environmental personnel. <br />Drainages within the mine plan area with persistent historical flow were sampled <br />firs[ and most intensively. Lesser intermittent systems were second and finally <br />[he portions classified as intermittent by the USGS were investigated for evi- <br />dente of flow. If a flow was located, then the site was sampled for aquatic bio- <br />logical communities (mac roinver[ebrates). Particular emphasis was given to sec- <br />tions with lotic characteristics and all microhabi[ats were sampled. If only <br />sluggish stagnant interflow (ground water seeps) were identified, then macroin- <br />vertebrates were no[ sampled as the criteria for flowing water dependance obvi- <br />ously were not me[. Only nine (9) sites with water flow were located (Map M44). <br />• The field work was conducted during September, 1979, over a two week period. <br />While the timing of the field work may have resulted in finding fewer lotic <br />environments than would occur in the spring or early summer, it was considered <br />appropriate for the purposes of the study since the basic intent was to determine <br />the presence or absence of important aquatic habitat (not the presence or absence <br />of macroinvertebrates per se). The investigators believe such habitats only <br />occur in connection with available moisture during [he periods of normal water <br />deficiencies, i.e. the late suimner. <br />Only qualitative (semi quantitative) sampling was undertaken. Aquatic nets, kick <br />sampling, hand collection, graded sieves and hand dippers were used. All subhab- <br />itats were probed - Neuston, Nekton, Plankton, Periphyton and Ben[hon (K lots, <br />1966). <br /> All sites with flowing water were sampled by placing the aquatic nets (a fine <br /> kitchen sieve or number 40 graded sieve) downstream of the sampling site and then <br /> scraping the bottom, dislodging parent materials, and scraping larger particles <br />J-4 <br />