2011-09-29_PERMIT FILE - M2009056

• Permit No: M2009056
• IBM Index Class Name: PERMIT FILE
• Doc Date: 9/29/2011
• Doc Name: Draft Environmental Assessment
• From: BLM Royal Gorge Field Office
• To: DRMS
• Email Name: DB2
• Media Type: D
• Archive: No

Avg
Max
Annual
Temp
(°F)
Avg
Min
Annual
Temp
( °F)
Avg
Max
January
Temp
(
Avg
Min
January
Temp
(°F)
Avg
Max
July
Temp
(°F)
Avg
Min
July
Temp
(°F)
Wind
Speed
Max
(mph)
Wind
Speed
Avg
(mph)
Gust
Speed
Max
(mph)
Avg
Annual
Total
Precip
( **
Avg
Annual
Total
Snowfall
( **
43.2
20.2
25.5
6.6
65.7
35.8
7.1
3.1
20.3
15.7
108.2
n =916
n =916
n =75
n =75
n =87
n =87
n =916
n =916
n =916
n =12
n =12
Climate in the Fairplay, CO assessment area is characterized by frigid winters, moderate to cool summers, light
precipitation, occasional heavy winter snowfall, and seasonally strong winds. Meteorological data near the
proposed Fairplay Destiny Mine, is collected at Valley of the Sun, Fairplay near to BLM administered lands
under study. Weather data are spotty and incomplete for each month of the four year period of measurement.
Number of weather day - observations (n) for each statistic for the potential 1334 weather day observations from
January 1, 2007 — August 31, 2010 is provided (Table 3). Given station location, weather statistics are
considered representative of existing conditions at the project site.
Table 3: Select average, maximum, and minimum temperatures and precipitation statistics for the period 2007 -2010 Fairplay,
Colorado.
* Source: KCOFAIRI, Weather Underground:
http: / /www wunderground. com /weatherstation /WXDailyHistory. asp ?ID= KCOFAIRPI
** Source: High Range Regional Climate Center: http: / /www.hprcc.unl.edu /data /historical /1954 -1966
High eastern continental divide Rocky Mountain elevation (9,953 ft) and topographic position down
slope from the bounding Mosquito Peaks mountain range drive Fairplay, Colorado climate. Average
annual maximum temperature for the station was 43.2 °F for the 4 -year period of measurement ranging
from 75 °F (7/2/2007) to a low of 0 °F (12/25/2009). Subzero temperature lows were recorded on 75
weather observation days for the four year measurement period, lowest recorded temperature being -24
°F (12/15/2008). Earliest subzero temperature for the 2007 -2010 measurement period was 10/26/2009
( -5 °F) and latest 3/20/2010 ( -16 °F). Below freezing temperature lows were recorded on 622 of 916
weather day observations virtually year round with only July low measures not falling below 32 °F.
National Oceanographic Atmospheric Agency (NOAA) precipitation statistics for Fairplay, CO are
reported by Fizber.com ( http : / /climate.fizber.com/colorado- city - fairplay - climate.html). Average
annual precipitation reported is 14.44 inches (in) distributed throughout the year with May (3.02 in),
July (2.92 in), and August(3.01 in) the wettest months. Average annual snowfall reported is 80.5
inches distributed from October -May.
Wind measurement is conducted at the Valley of the Sun, Fairplay and is considered generally
representative of the Fairplay Destiny Mine study area Annual average wind speed at the Valley of the
Sun, Fairplay CO site was 3.1 mph with average maximum wind speed during the four year period
(916 observations) was 7.1 mph. Average maximum wind gust speed measured at the site for this
period was 20.3 mph with the highest wind gust of 47 mph (1/24/2010) recorded for the 4 -year period.
Extreme spring and early summer wind events are not uncommon and generate dust storms that
degrade air quality and visibility in the planning area. Tornadoes are infrequent in the planning area
and commonly weak.
Change in climate, and specifically temperature, associated with the accumulation of greenhouse gases
(GHG's) in the Fairplay study area, as well as the rest of Colorado, represent an existing condition that
will likely continue into the 21 century based on available information. Temperature trend for the
period 1895 -2009 for the state of Colorado as a whole is 0.15degF /Decade (NOAA, 2010). Climate
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