2007-12-17_REVISION - C1981020 - Laserfiche WebLink

Home Browse Search

Land use within the permit and adjacent area is grazing and wildlife habitat. Grazing is generally confined to the lower-lying canyon bottom lands. The upland area consists of steep slopes and rugged topography and is primarily used by wildlife. Some irrigated agriculture is practiced in the East Salt Creek Valley, which is adjacent to the permit area. Soils The soils mapped in the permit area consist of the Glendive, Havre, Nihill and Rivra series, which are well too excessively drained and have formed in alluvial or colluvial sediments. Soils are deepest in the valley bottoms and become shallower along the canyon sideslopes where they intersperse with bare rock. All of the soils are rated good to fair as sources of topsoil for reclamation. Limitations exist, however, for subsoils in the alluvium which demonstrate strongly alkaline pH values. Vegetation The mine occurs within the lower montane climax region. Four distinct vegetation types occur within and adjacent to the permit area. A greasewood shrubland type occupies the flat terrain along the East Salt drainage. Big sagebrush shrubland occurs along drainages and sidedraws to East Salt Creek where soils are deep and well drained. Shadscale shrubland borders the greasewood shrubland along the dry, steeper, south-facing slopes in the shallower soils, which are interspersed with rock outcrops. Finally, Juniper woodland is found along the ridgetops and steep north and west-facing slopes of shallow soils and rock outcrops. These vegetation types are common to western Colorado and Utah. Fish & Wildlife Numerous wildlife species inhabit the permit area at various times of year, including mule deer, elk, and black bear. The rimrock on higher slopes are important nesting habitat for raptors, particularly golden eagles. Cultural and Historic Resources A number of cultural resource studies were prepared for the initial permitting and subsequent proposed Central Facilities expansion in the late 1970's to mid 1980's. Two pre-historic sites and three historic sites were identified within the project boundaries as proposed at the time. Two of the prehistoric sites that would have been impacted or potentially impacted by proposed mine development were determined to be eligible for the National Register of Historic Places. Both sites (designated 5GF1147 and 5GF742) were located on BLM property near the mouth of Munger Canyon. Both sites include rock art panels attributed to Ute Culture, and one of the sites also includes elements attributed to the Fremont Culture. Mine development that would have potentially impacted the sites did not occur, and the development is no longer approved or proposed. 12