2009-10-30_GENERAL DOCUMENTS - C1982056

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The alluvium of Trout Creek and its tributaries are important sources of ground water. The alluvial bodies are used as water supplies, provide subirrigation to vegetation, and supply base flow to the streams. The alluvial bodies are recharged by both the streams and the bedrock aquifers. The mine is located in the upper reaches of the Yampa River Basin. The permit area and adjacent areas are drained by Foidel Creek, an intermittent stream, and Fish Creek and Middle Creek, both perennial streams. Fish Creek drains east into Trout Creek whereas Foidel Creek drains northeast to Middle Creek before Middle Creek joins Trout Creek. The quality of water in the Fish Creek and Foidel Creek drainages have been affected previously by surface mining upstream and downstream of the underground mine's existing surface facilities. Alluvial valley floors are identified downstream of the mining area at the confluence of Foidel and Middle Creek, and on Trout Creek from its confluence with Middle Creek downstream to the Yampa River. Permit Revision No. 3 declassified portions of Foidel and Middle creeks previously classified as AVF's. Detailed discussion concerning alluvial valley floors can be found in Section B, part XVHI of this document as well as Exhibit 7j of the permit. The climate within the permit and adjacent areas is semi-arid with a mean annual precipitation of 14.6 inches. Approximately 45 percent of this precipitation occurs during the growing season of April through September. High temperatures generally range from 70-80°F in the summer months to below freezing in the winter months. Normally, a significant snowpack resides on the ground for 4-5 months during the winter. Two broadly classified soil complexes exist within the permit area. These are Typic Paleoborolls-Borollic Camborthids and Argic Cryoborolls-Cryic Paleoborolls. However, prior to mining, the Typic Paleoborolls- Borollic Camborthids soils covered the disturbed area. They occur primarily on uplands and are formed in materials weathered in place from soft shale. These clayey soils are moderately deep to deep, well drained and usually contain less than 35 percent rock fragments. Permeability is slow, shrink-swell potential is high and potential frost action is moderate to high. These soils are used for rangeland, non-irrigated cropland, and irrigated hay and pastureland. Vegetation in the vicinity of the mine is characterized by four major communities: grassland, mountain shrub, big sagebrush, and cropland; and by two sub-types: aspen and mountain shrub-rock outcrop. Within the Foidel Creek Mine disturbed area, the prominent vegetation types prior to disturbance were big sagebrush and cropland (dryland small grains). Numerous wildlife species inhabit the general area. The most predominant are elk, mule deer and Columbian Sharptail grouse. Other wildlife species include: black bear, cougar, rabbit, coyote, bobcat, red fox, rodents, bats, skunks, waterfowl, amphibians and reptiles. Two golden eagle nests are located on sandstone cliffs adjacent to the disturbed area within the permit boundary. There is critical winter habitat for elk, an elk migration corridor and elk calving grounds and critical sage grouse habitat within and adjacent to the permit area. Sage grouse critical habitat is located outside of the disturbed area. Cultural and historic resources within the permit area include four historic sites and one prehistoric or protohistoric site. Two of the historic sites are undistinguished homesteads with no important architectural features and which are not associated with persons important in history. Another historic site is an uninhabited cabin with a corral. The Colorado State Historical Preservation Officer determined that this is an undistinguished structure with no important architectural features and with no association to persons important in history. The fourth historic site, the Foidel Canyon Schoolhouse, is listed in the National Register of Historic Places, and is located in the general area of the main facilities along Foidel Creek. It will not be undermined or subsided and is protected appropriately. The prehistoric site (5RT345) was a rock art site located on the outcrop of the Twentymile Sandstone directly north of the main mine facility area. Mining approved under PR-02 (Southwest Mining District) undermined and subsided 5RT345. Stipulation No. 33 was attached to the PR-02 approval and Twentymile Coal Company took appropriate measures, as determined by the United States Bureau