1984-04-09_REPORT - M1978352 - Laserfiche WebLink

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Page 4 • dards also. There is a similar hot plant at United Sand and Gravel in Grand Junction. I have discussed air quality with Mr. Ken Nesbitt at United and he stated t other than at the time of the initial start-up, there were, problems in meeting air quality standards. I have cotnac a Colorado Department of Health in Grand Junction to pri imformation. Mr. Steve De Feyter, who has monitored t was on vacation and is to contact me March 6. However s supervisor indicated he was not aware of any problems. C) Geologic The permit area consists of a dry Eagle River gravel terrace. Ground water will not be intercepted at the mined depth. The terrace is approximately sixty feet above the Eagle River high water line. The mining plan states that the terrace will be mined to a depth of thirty to thirty-five feet. Generally the gravel deposit will be removed down to an underlying clay lense. As the clay lense will retain moisture much better than a gravel terrace, it will better support vegetation and will be easier to revegetate in the future. After the area has been mined and reclaimed there will be no • negative geologic impacts. D) Biotic The portion of the permit area not mined is sparsely covered with native dry-land vegetation. Rainfall ranges from ten to fourteen inches per year. Typical dry-land grasses and shrubs that exist on the property include Wyoming Big Sagebrush, Douglas Rabbit brush, Western Wheatgrass, Bluebunch Wheatgrass, Prairie Junegrass and Indian Ricegrass. These are identified by Soil Conservation Service reports. Rick Olson, Soil Conservation Service, will complete an on site inventory in the near future. This report will be submitted as soon as it is received. In the short-term there will certainly be negative impacts on existing vegetation. However, the large cottonwood trees along the irrigation ditch will remain. In the long term there will be no negative impacts as the mined area can be completely reclaimed and will probably support more vegetation in the future due to the underlying clay soil. There will also be negative impacts to wildlife. This area is probably deer winter range, but in viewing the area it does not appear that it is high quality winter range, nor that deer are • currently wintering on the property. They do pass through the property. The long term impact on deer could be positive, if so desired by the Division of Wildlife, as reclamation could be done with plant