2012-08-17_REVISION - C1982056 (2)

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Introduction Metcalf Archaeological Consultants, hnc., (MAQ of Eagle, Colorado conducted a Class III cultural resource inventory for Twentymile Coal's Foidei Creek Mine 12L study area (Figure 1). The inventory was conducted to comply with the National Historic Preservation Act, the National Environmental. Policy Act, and the Federal Land Management Act. Land ownership is private alyd Federal land (BLM). An 80 acre block was inventoried for this project. The northern 40 acres is BLM administered land located in the NWNE of Section 34; and the southern 40 acres is private land. and is located in the SWINE Sec. 34, T5N R£I7W. Fieldwork was conducted on April 26"' and 27` 2012 by staff archaeologist Sally J. Metcalf under the stipulations of BLM Cultural Resource Permit 4039290 (expires 09; The project is associated with the current mitre operations and exploration prorrrarn for Twentyrnile Coal Foidel Creek Mine in Routt County, Colorado. All field docul nent-ation, origimal records, and copies of this report are on file at the MAC office in Eagle, Colorado. No artifacts were collected during this project. The objective of this cultural resource inventory was to locate and record any cultural resources that might be within the potential area of effect (APE) of the proposed project, and to provide recommendations of site eligibility to the National Register of Historic Places (NRHP ). Management recommendations for treatment of any discovered. resources were to be made in accordance with their recommended NRHP evaluations and potential Impacts. This inventory resulted in the discovery of a historic road segmeat (5RT3132.1) and a prehistoric isolated find (5RT3134). Effective Environment This project is located at the southern end of Twentyrnile Park and north of the Williams Fork Mountains. The area to the Borth consists of a high, dissected plateau with broad flat drainage valleys separated by rolling ridges. To the south the terrain becomes more mountainous with greater extremes in elevations. The project area. is located along the west side of fish Creek, a northeast flowing tributary to Trout Creek. Trout Creek empties into the Yampa River which is situated I I miles north of the project. The project block is in an area that slopes to the east toward Fish Creek. Several easterly flowing intermittent drainages dissect the block and eventually flow into Fish Creek. Quateniary deposition in the project area is predominately alluvial, but there is some colluvial deposition in western portions. The soils consist of dark brown clayey loam «Tith minor amounts of gravel and cobbles present. This deposition reaches a depth of lip to a teeter in