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Springs and seeps are abundant in the area, with 59 originally identified during an inventory <br />completed in 1985. More recent inventory and study resulted in additional springs and seeps in <br />the South Taylor and Lower Wilson areas. Four springs were found to be perennial, two tributary <br />to Wilson Creek and two tributary to Good Spring Creek. The locations of all monitored springs <br />and seeps are shown on Map 10A, Volume 14. Spring and seep information is included in <br />Tables 2.05.6-1 and 2 in Volume 12 for the South Taylor and Lower Wilson areas. <br />No alluvial valley floors (AVF's) exist within the area to be mined. However, the alluvial <br />deposits of Goodspring Creek, Wilson Creek, and lower Elkhorn Creek meet the geomorphic and <br />irrigation criteria of an AVF and are discussed in Section B, Item XVII of this document. <br />The Wilson Reservoir, from which water is drawn for mining activities, is an important fishery <br />of the area. The Wilson Reservoir was built in 1941, and is under the regulatory jurisdiction of <br />the Colorado Division of Water Resources. Except for a pumping station, the Wilson Reservoir <br />is not within the Permit area, and is not a part of the Permit. The pumping station at the reservoir, <br />and the pipeline from the pumping station to the main areas of the Mine, are included in the <br />Permit. <br />3.2. 10 Vegetation <br />Baseline vegetation information is found in Section 2.04.10 Map 4 and Exhibit 10 of the PAP <br />original volumes. Vegetation information associated with the PR-2 Lower Wilson and South <br />Taylor expansion areas can be found in Section 2.04.10 of Volume 12, Exhibit 10 of Volume 13, <br />and Maps 3, 4A, and 4B of Volume 14. Six vegetation communities and a small amount of <br />cropland exist within the Mine permit boundary. The major communities are sagebrush and <br />mountain shrub. Communities of lesser extent include a juniper community in the vicinity of <br />Streeter Mountain, aspen groves in the upper reaches of Streeter, Taylor and Wilson Creeks, a <br />limited riparian community along Goodspring, West Fork Goodspring, Wilson, and Taylor <br />Creeks, and a small western wheatgrass community in the southern portion of the permit area. <br />The sagebrush community occurs throughout the permit area on all elevations, slopes and soils. <br />The community has developed wherever soil moisture retention and soil depth have become <br />limiting to other vegetation communities. Big sagebrush (Artemisia tridentata) and snowberry <br />(Symphoricarpos oreophilus) dominate the overstory. Dominant grasses are western wheatgrass <br />A o on smithii), mountain brome (Bromus marginatus) and green needlegrass (Stipa <br />viridula). Major forbs include lupine Lu inus caudatus), wild onion (Allium spp.), yarrow <br />Achillea lanulosa) and arrowleaf balsam root (Balsamorrhiza sa itg tata). <br />The mountain shrub community is typically found on areas of higher soil moisture and deeper <br />soils throughout the permit area. Serviceberry (Amelanchier alnifolia) and Gambel's oak <br />( uercus gambehi) are the dominant overstory species in the community, with fairly dense <br />stands of chokecherry (Prunus yiMiniana) occurring on north slopes and along drainages. The <br />most abundant grasses are Kentucky bluegrass (Poa pratensis), western wheatgrass and needle <br />and thread Sti a comata). Forbs include lupine, yarrow, bedstraw (Galium sue.) and American <br />Proposed Decision and Findings of Compliance 14 September 2009 <br />Permit Renewal 05 Page 23