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districts and isolated finds: to evaluate these surface finds for inclusion on the National <br />Register of Historic Places (NRtiP): to determine the potential effect of the mining activities <br />on all NRHP- eligible resources. and to make recommendations for the mitigation of any <br />advem. t effects on those resources. <br />LOCATION OF THF: PROJF.( -T AREA <br />The study areas lie north of the town of Paonia. in Delta County. Colorado. The project <br />is located in T. 13 S.. R. 91 W.. Sections 5 and b: and. T. 13 S.. R. 92 W.. Section 1: 61h P. M. <br />( Figure 1). <br />E %VIRONNIENT <br />The study area lies off the southeast corner of Grand Mesa, an 11.000 -foot high. flat - <br />topped mountain capped by basalt flows of late Miocene and early Pliocene age ca. 10 million <br />years old (Young and Young 1969). Cretaceous -age Mesaverde Formation sandstones and <br />coal- bearing rocks form the bedrock of the study area. <br />The survey area occurs in two blocks that lie north of the town of Paonia. 'The blocks <br />are situated west of Terror Creek. The western most block is located in an area bisected by <br />Stevens Gulch, just south of the West Fork of Terror Creek. The second block is located on the <br />east - facing talus slopes and terrace remnants that form the western flanks of Terror Creek. <br />Elevations in the study area range from 7200 feet at the east end of the project near Terror <br />Creek to 8400 feet west of Stevens Gulch. The area is TransitionalZ_one brush including <br />oakbrush. serviceberry. and chokccheM. Other plant communities occur in the study area. <br />although in much smaller acreages and usually mixed with the brush, including fir and aspen <br />forest. riparian woodland, and grassland meadows. The region supports numerous wildlife <br />species including elk. deer, coyote, black bear. bobcat. ground squirrels. rabbits, and various <br />raptors. <br />Climatically. the yearly average temperature is 32 to 45 degrees F.. and there is a <br />maximum of 100 frost -free days in a year. Annual precipitation is about 18 to 20 inches <br />(USDA SCS 1976). Paleocrivironmental data for the area are scant. but it is agreed that gross <br />climatic conditions have remained fairly constant over the last 12.000 years. I lowever. changes <br />in effective moisture and cooling/warming trends undoubtedly atTected the prehistoric <br />occupation of the area. Prehistoric land use was primarily hunting and gathering. which had <br />little, or no adverse affect on the local environment. Present days land use includes cattle <br />grazing, hunting,, and coal mining development. <br />