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Western Mining District 18-Left Shaft Site Baseline Soil Investigation <br />10 SOIL MAPPING & TAXONOMY <br />Preliminary soil maps from the unpublished NRCS Soil Survey for Routt Area <br />including parts of Routt and Rio Blanco Counties were reviewed prior to locating soil <br />mapping unit boundaries for the study area. Field descriptions from each of the six soil <br />cores and additional non-characterized cores were used to determine soil map unit <br />boundaries (Sheet 1) and soil taxonomy to the soil series or family level. Preliminary <br />NRCS map unit descriptions of the Binco silty clay loam, Elkhead clay loam and their <br />known inclusions were used to determine the affected soil series (Appendix 3). This <br />upland site with variable slopes ranging between 0 and 30 percent exhibited very <br />consistent soil depths and soil profiles over a shaley parent material. A very small area <br />(1.2 acres) of saline seep soil was included in the mapping that will not be affected by <br />development activities. A small intermittent tributary to Fish Creek was located <br />immediately outside of the southern portion of this study area. The soils associated <br />with this landform will not be affected by pad and road construction and were therefore <br />not mapped. Approximately 4.4 acres of previously disturbed soils associated with <br />highway construction, borrow and cut/fill slopes were also mapped. <br />RESULTS <br />The soil description field forms and photographs for each characterized soil core are <br />contained Appendix 1 and Appendix 2 respectively. The primary soil parameters <br />including A and B horizons depth are summarized in Table 1. NRCS soil series <br />descriptions are contained in Appendix 3. <br />Soil cores #1 and #3 were located within the Binco silty clay loam, 12-25 percent slopes, <br />snap unit D10. Soil cores #2 and #4 were located within the Binco silty clay loam, 3-12 <br />percent slopes, map units C10. Soil cores #5 and #6 were located within the Elkhead <br />clay loam, 0-5 percent slopes, map unit 110a. A small inclusion (1.2 acres) of saline seep <br />soil was included in the mapping, however, this soil will not be disturbed or affected by <br />development activities. A narrow inclusion of Cumulic Cryaquoll soil was observed in <br />the small intermittent drainage channel immediately south of the ventilation pad area <br />and will not be disturbed or affected by development activities. <br />• <br />Habitat Management, Inc. 2 01/12/2009