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4 ' <br /> 2002 COAL BASIN WATERSHED NON-POINT SOURCE GRANT NARRATIVE <br /> 2.0 STATEMENT OF NEED <br /> 2.1 Coal Creek, the principle drainage within Coal Basin, is listed as a Category 1 <br /> stream in Colorado's Unified Watershed Assessment, which is high priority for remedial <br /> measures. Coal Creek is listed for TMDL on Colorado's 303d list of impaired waters, as <br /> total-recoverable iron exceeds water quality standards. Sediment derived from mining <br /> waste products has an adverse impact on Coal Creek. The mining wastes, which are <br /> derived from pyrite-rich materials, are located on very erosive features higher in Coal <br /> Basin. The sediment which is generated from these features is a source of iron to Coal <br /> Creek. Although the TMDL for Coal Creek will not be developed for Coal Creek until <br /> 2004, the reduction of iron-rich sediment delivered from mining related disturbances will <br /> be part of the TMDL implementation. <br /> 2.2 Coal Creek is segment 9 of the Roaring Fork in the Upper Colorado Water <br /> Quality Classifications and Standards (WQCC Regulation 33). The classified uses are <br /> aquatic life cold water class 1, recreation class 1, water supply and agriculture. Coal <br /> Creek is tributary to the Crystal River (Segment 8) the Roaring Fork River (Segment 3) <br /> and the Colorado River. <br /> 2.3 Index and site maps are attached to the grant narrative. <br /> 2.4 The Project is located at a now inactive coal mine. The Coal Basin Mines were a <br /> series of five underground coal mines. The mine entries were located at an elevation of <br /> approximately 10,000 feet, making this the highest elevation coal mine in North America. <br /> The mining company owned the land at the mine entry areas, as well as a large tract of <br /> land located near the confluence of Coal and Dutch Creeks. The White River National <br /> Forest has come into possession of most of the property, including the Mine Bench <br /> Outslopes, which are the subject of this Project. The identified uses for the public lands <br /> within Coal Basin include non-motorized recreation, wildlife habitat and grazing. Public <br /> use of the area is steadily growing as more of the Basin is reopened following decades <br /> of mining related closures. Horseback riding, hiking and mountain bike riding are the <br /> most common recreational uses of the Basin. <br /> Coal Basin is a large geomorphic feature situated on the Grand Hogback west of <br /> Redstone in Pitkin County. The Basin is circular in shape, draining to the east via Coal <br /> Creek. The Basin is enclosed to the north, west and south by Huntsman Ridge. <br /> Huntsman Ridge rises steeply from the Basin to an elevation of approximately 11,000 <br /> feet. In contrast, the confluence of Coal and Dutch Creeks, about 3.5 miles east of the <br /> crest of Huntsman Ridge, is located at an elevation of 8,000 feet. The Basin is very <br /> rugged. The easterly facing portion of Huntsman Ridge rises abruptly, forming steep <br /> sandstone cliffs. Numerous landslides, both recent and historic, are evident throughout <br /> the Basin. In addition, large debris flows occur in Dutch Creek on an infrequent basis. <br /> The most recent large flow occurred in the early 1980's. Anecdotal reports indicate that <br /> it traveled from the headwaters of Dutch Creek to near its confluence with Coal Creek, a <br /> distance of about four miles. <br /> Average annual precipitation within Coal Basin is estimated to be approximately thirty <br /> three inches per year. Moisture is derived primarily from snow melt and intense summer <br />