Laserfiche WebLink
A. Environmental Problems <br /> The Coal Basin Project area consists of one individual problem area or mine <br /> site. This is as follows: <br /> 1 . Coal Basin Mine ( ID No. 08-097-0813-96/42-02) <br /> The Coal Basin Mine was operated by Mid Continent Coal & Coke Company during <br /> 1973. An unknown tonnage was mined from this exact site. It was a surface <br /> strip mining operation. Access to the site is by way of the Coal Basin Road <br /> which heads north of State Highway 133 near the town of Redstone to the <br /> permitted Mid Continent Mine site. Further access to the site is by way of <br /> private mine haul roads from the mine office for approximately 4.0 miles north <br /> to the site. The site is within the Placita (1983 revised) U.S.6.S. <br /> Ouadrangle in the SW, SE, of Section 5, NE, NW, of Section 8, T10S, R89W. <br /> Receiving streams for drainage are Coal Creek which flows into the Crystal <br /> River. The elevation of the site is 9,680 feet. Slopes average 15 degrees on <br /> the strip area and are greater than 35 degrees on the downcast slopes. <br /> The size of the disturbed strip area is approximately 7.0 acres. This entire <br /> area is either coal waste or intact seam which -has been weathered. Several <br /> small water impoundments exist. Vegetation, discussed above, is very sparse. <br /> An approximate 300' 1 by 30'w island of original rock outcrop exists on the <br /> eastern boundary. The western boundary consists of large sized rubble from <br /> the eroded cliffs above. An exhaust fan for the permitted No. 5 site borders <br /> the area to the southwest. <br /> The two overcast areas consist of downcast overburden from the strip mi ni na <br /> operation. The northern downcast area is broken down into an area which is <br /> fairly stabilized with vegetation and shows minimal signs of erosional <br /> processes. The other area totals around 2.3 acres with a total slope length <br /> of approximately 360 feet. Rilling and some aulleying exist on this portion <br /> th <br /> with vegetation virtually non-existant. At e bottom of the entire northern <br /> downcast area exists a runout area 600' long by 250' wide including a 50' wide <br /> band of large boulders. Runoff from the area drains into a small 1 acre <br /> wetland full of Ca rex aquatilis, Betula occidentalis and Salix sp. <br /> The southern downcast area is broken into two portions. The upper portion <br /> contains the revegetation trial area which has partially disappeared due to <br /> erosion since its installation. The lower portion narrows down into an <br /> approximate 50' wide area and is barren of vegetation. Rilling occurs on the <br /> entire slope on this lower portion. The stability and vegetation <br /> establishment of the lower portion of the slope is aggravated by maintenance <br /> of the No. 5 Mine exhaust fan access road which transects the slope at <br /> midpoint. <br /> X-10 <br />