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ALLUVIAL VALLEY FLOOR DETERMINATION <br />CAM - COLORADO PROPOSED COAL LOADOUT NEAR FRUITA <br />MESA COUNTY, COLORADO <br />appears to have little, if any, effect on the ground water beneath the property, as determined <br />by water quality and ground water elevations. Reed Wash is incised at least 20 feet and <br />appears to gain water along its flowpath. Therefore, the water in the wash is not a source of <br />supply to land on either the east or west side of the wash. It is more likely that irrigation <br />return flows to Reed Wash maintain the base flow in the wash through drier periods, which is <br />confirmed by the poor water quality in Reed Wash (Appendix Q. <br />The narrow shallow swales on the west side of Reed Wash provide drainageways for <br />irrigation return flows, but do not function as alluvial systems. The soils within the swales <br />are essentially the same as soils outside of the swales and are not suitable for cultivation. <br />Any water in the swales is perched on low permeability soils well above the water table. <br />Based on these observations and facts, the area of the proposed loadout does not function <br />as an AVF, as contemplated by the regulations. The hydrologic system beneath the property <br />appears to be disconnected from both the Colorado River and Reed Wash in terms of <br />recharge from the two surface water drainages, but rather the area is located along the flow <br />path for ground water discharge to both drainages from irrigated upland areas. The land on <br />either side of Reed Wash could physically be flood irrigated, but the NRCS concluded that <br />the surface soils preclude the use of this land for commercial plant production (agriculture). <br />The soil contamination from the former refinery on the east side of Reed Wash is an <br />additional limitation to future agricultural uses. <br />Conclusions <br />Although the proposed loadout is within the historic floodplain of the Colorado River and <br />adjacent to Reed Wash (a tributary to the Colorado River), the hydrogeology of the site <br />indicates the property does not have the hydrologic functions of an AVE Also, the nature of <br />the soils in the project area precludes the use of this area for commercial plant production <br />(Appendix A) and, therefore, the project area should be excluded from the AVF designation. <br />The project area does not meet the three criteria provided in Section 2.06.8 (3)(c)(ii)(A, B, <br />and C) of the regulations. <br />A. There are no streamlaid deposits meeting the pertinent size criteria. <br />B. Due to the nature of the soils, the project area does not meet the minimum <br />requirements for agricultural activities. <br />8 <br />