Laserfiche WebLink
~~. <br />~ ~S <br />~ , <br />! J %,_. <br />Serial N~~. !'_~S~L!A7 <br />i70 SURFACE OCCUPANCY STIPULATION <br />WETLANDS/FLOODPLAINS/RI?ARIAN AREAS <br />No surface occupancy or use is allowed on the lands defined as a Wetland, a <br />Floodplain, or a Riparian area except when a waiver, exception, or modification <br />(WEM) to this stipulation is granted. See WEM clause below. <br />Wetlands, Floodplains and Riparian Areas are defined as: <br />Wetlands: A Federal Manual which defines j urisdictional wetlands was . <br />jointly developed by the U.S.. Corp of Engineers, the Soil Conservation <br />Service, the Environmental Protection Agency and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife <br />Service. (January 1989) This definition is adopted. In general, wetlands <br />are defined by the presence of: permanent or seasonal water; water loving <br />vegetation; and soil characteristics influenced by saturated conditions. <br />A11 three of these conditions.musc exist in order to qualify as a wetland. <br />(?age ~IZI-54, Oil and Gas Leasing EIS) <br />Floodplains: This is a strip of relatively smooth land adjacent to a river <br />channel, constructed• by the present river in its eCisting regimen and <br />covered with water when the river overflows its banks. It is built of <br />alluvium carried by the river during floods and deposited in the sluggish <br />water outside the influence of the swiftest current. A river has only one <br />floodplain but may have one or more terraces representing abandoned <br />floodplaias. (Page III-50, Oil and Gas Leasing EIS) <br />Riparian Areas: Geographically delineated areas with distinctive resource <br />values and characteristics that are comprised of the aquatic and riparian <br />eeosystems.(FSM WO 2500-94-4 pg ~17) They may be associated with lakes, <br />reservoirs, estuaries, potholes, marshes, screams, bogs, wet meadovs,.and <br />intermittent or permanent streams :There free and unbound water is <br />available. (Page VII-13,.Oi1 and Cas Leasing EIS) The riparian ecosystems <br />are "transitional areas" between the aquatic. ecosystem and the adjacent <br />cerrestrial.ecosystem; identified by soil characteristics or distinctive <br />vegetation communities, and are characterized by species and/or Life forms <br />that are different from those of the immediately surrounding non-riparian <br />climax area. (Page III-52; Oil and Gas Leasing EIS) <br />The application of the definition for wetlands; floodplains, and riparian <br />areas to ground conditions will determine whether the stipulation applies>, <br />When facilities and activities associated with coal mining must occur in ~, <br />these areas, impacts co these are as. will be minimized and mitigated. Roads <br />will cross streams ac right angles and access across. ocher areas subject to <br />this stipulation will be field to a minimum. Streams will not be <br />parallelled by roads through these areas other than to the extent necessary <br />for crossings. <br />The width of adjacent upland areas which will come under jurisdiction of <br />this stipulation will be dependent on slope steepness, and the kind, <br />amount, and Location of surface and vegetation disturbance. (The G`tUG <br />Amended Land and Resource t4anagemenc Plan, Page III-75 provides guidelines <br />for these areas. ) <br />The Eollowinz roads have been in e:cistence for many years and portions of <br />[hem traverse through riparian areas. '['he roads are deemed necessary for <br />