PERMFILE134980 - Laserfiche WebLink

Home Browse Search

elevatior. of the P.iver to the west and will shocv gravel thickness to be remove3 and the pit bottom elevation. Gravel will then be removed using rubber tire3 and tracked loaders and trucks. Peck expects tc mine approximately one acre each year, but this will vary according to the thickness of gravel available. All banks will be mined at a 3:1 slope. This includes the pit side banks of the protective berm. The actual pit will be mined so as to slope back tcwards the River at a 1 foot ir. 5C0 feet rate (see cross secticn;. It will also be sloped to the northwest at a rate of 1 foot ir. BO feet, which is the same slope as the River. This will leave the pit bottom in its reclaimed configuration as .,,~nirg ~~ completed. The Uncompahgre River slopes to the northwest at an average rate of 1 foot in °0 feet across the proposed pit area. It does vary from as low as 1 foot ir. 120 feet to as steep as 3 feet in lOC feet. 4. RECLAMATION PLAN: Deer. elk and small game are abundant throughcut the general area. The present land use consists of deer and elk migrating across the gravel bar to drink from the River. Many deer and elk winter in the general area. The actual pit site is nearly void of vegetation so little, if any, grazing occurs in this area. The area adjacent to the pit on the east side is foraged during the fall, winter and spring. None of this area will be disturbed by the proposed cperation. Flhen the pit is completed, the bar will remain essentially flat with 3:1 slopes, which will not inhibit the wildlife (see cross section). Reclamation of the site will be an ongoing project. As the gravel is mined, the bottom of the pit will be left in a near flat conditicn (slightly dipping west and northwest). When the entire pit is completed, minor grading may be needed but should take less than one day to complete. Peck estimates that reclamation will occur in one acre sections from south to north behind the actual mining operation. This will depend on how much gravel is mined each year. Some reclamaticn will occur each year, depending on the amount of gravel removed. Cost estimates are difficult tc determine, as most of the costs will be a part cf the mining. Final grading of the area, using a D-5 Cat should take 10 hours at $50.00 per hour, totaling $500.00, plus seed and fertilizer if necessary. Total reclamation of the project will be completed withir. two months after all the gravel has been mined from the pit. According to °en Miller, Colorado Wildlife Officer located in Ridgway, no fish are present in the L'rcompahgre River at this location. The U.S. Army Corpe of Engineers has stated that no wetlands exist in the area of the proposed operation.