2012-01-06_PERMIT FILE - C1982057 (16)

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• Soil series descriptions; • • Chemical and physical data; • Soil interpretations for each soil series, series variant, subgroup, and great group; • Soil suitability ratings, by horizon, for each soil series and series variant; • Recommended topsoil salvage depths for each soil series, series variant, sail family, subgroup, great group, and soil map unit within the projected disturbance area; • Prime farmland assessment; and, • Alluvial soil evaluation. General Nature of the Area The study area is located within the Wyoming Basin Physiographic Province, in northern Colorado (Bass et al., 19551. It is within Unite d States Department of Agriculture IUSDAI Major Land Resource Area 48, Southern Rocky Mountains (USDA-SC S, 19781 Elevations • within the study area range from about 6,680 to 8,350 feet for the mine area and 6,385 to 6,715 for the Tie-Across Haul Road corridor. Climate. The study area is located in an "ustic-aridic" soil moisture regime and a "cryic-frigid" soil temperature regime. The climate is typically continental or intermountain footslopes with cold winters, warm to hot summers, moderately low rainfall, and relatively short growing seasons. The mean annual precipitation ranges from about 16 Ynches along the Tie-Across Haul Road corridor to a maximum of about 24 inches in the higher areas of the mine study area. Moisture is limiting within these soils, but the soil moisture is present during the growing season as a result of the quantity and distribution of precipitation. Periods of peak precipitation occur as snowfall during winter end as thundershowers during early summer months. Mean annual air temperature ranges from 36 degrees F at higher elevations to 42 degrees F along the tie-across haul road corridor. The average frost-free period ranges from about 40 to 95 days. Elevation, slope position, and aspect are responsible for the wide ranges of mean annual precipitation, mean annual air temperature, and length of growing season in the study area. Additional climatological data is contained in Tab 8 oT this Permit Application Package • (PAP) 3 Revised 9/98