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• However, in the opinion of Castle ~crete, these improvements will probably not correct the problem with mud being deposited on the entrance road to Cedar Heights located below HR6. It may improve the condition, but correction will only occur when a properly sized culvert is placed under the Cedar Heights roadway. The volume of water and sediment that flows through HR6, even when the potential sediment sources are well controlled, simply cannot be handled by the Cedar Heights roadway without an additional culvert to directly carry the water and sediment under the mad and to the main drainage channel for Black Canyon. Recent negotiations with the FDIC regarding the need for such a culvert have been fairly positive, but no conclusion has been reached. In the event another major storm hits the area this summer as it did last summer, it is expected that sediment will be deposited on the Cedar Heights roadway, although the amount of sediment may be reduced over what occurred last year. It is Castle Concrete's position that no further improvements will be made to the quarry access road until the drainage problems on the Cedar Heights access road am corrected. ROADSIDE DISTURBANCE RECLAMATION.• The four major disturbance aurae along the access mad (plus several other minor disturbances) all show excellent recovery and vegetation development, except for Area N2, which shows somewhat less dramatic recovery due to its very steep slopes. Area Nl, the largest and furthest up the road, has a very thick grass growth that is highly productive and very effective at controlling any erosion. Area N2, the smallest and steepest, is doing well, but does not have the dense growth of the other three. In part this is due to the steep slopes. The slopes do not capture and hold much moisture and soil does not stay in place well. Nevertheless, recovery is occurring, although it may take longer to complete than the other throe major disturbances. Aura N3 exhibits good grass growth, although it is less developed than that seen on Area Nl which is one year older. The tce of this area becomes steeper and is showing recovery much like Area N2. Area N4, although a rather steep slope, is covered with thick soil and is showing excellent growth. However, weeds are a problem due to the very good moisture conditions that accompany the soil. Minor erosion rilling can be found in places, but it does not appear to be expanding and seems to be under the control of the plants. Each of these auras have had trees planted on them. These trees were planted in 1991 and were seedlings from the Colorado State Forest Service. In a letter from Mark Heffner to Dan Hernandez the goals of the number of trees to be established at the end of the five year period on each area was stated. The goal was to establish between 110 and 120 trees per acre, on the average. Prior to the initiation of strong grass growth this spring, a tree count was attempted on each of the four disturbances along the mad. Areas number 1 and 4 were the most difficult because the ground level vegetation is so strong finding the small trees becomes a maddening task. The small seedlings tend to be buried in the grass. It was hoped that counting the trees when the grass was brown would be easier, but as it turned out, the density of the grass still obscured the trees. Therefore the accuracy of the count on Amax 1 and 4 is subject to considerable discussion. On Areas 2 and 3 the accuracy is undoubtedly much higher because the trees were much easier to locate. No analysis of the Williams Canyon planting was done at this time. Because this area is dominated more by natural vegetation, it was decided that a tree count would be done at the same time the vegetation as a whole is examined for success in recovery from the rock damages. That analysis will be provided when it is completed later this summer. Page 2 Supplemental Sheets M-77-210 1992 Annual Report