|
B IIAOwens GoverRmA~O • III IIIIIIIIIIIII'll .
<br />DEPARTMENT OF NATURAL RESOURCES
<br />DIVISION OF WILDLIFE
<br />AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER
<br />Bruce McCbskey, Acting Direch°r
<br />6°~ti,eaat Real°^. RECEIVED
<br />2126 N Weber Street
<br />Colorado Springs, Colorado 80907
<br />Telephone: (719)2275200 'JUN ? 6 2000
<br />Division of Minerals & Geology
<br />June 22, 2000
<br />Mr. James C. Stevens
<br />Division of Minerals & Geology
<br />1313 Sherman Street, Room 215
<br />Denver, CO 80203
<br />Subject: Elbert County; Fondis Pit, Permit No. M-1988-101
<br />Dear Mr. Stevens:
<br />For ~Idllfe-
<br />For People
<br />
<br />The Division has reviewed the above referenced conversion application and is familiar with the site. We
<br />would offer the following comments and observations regarding this proposal.
<br />The site can be characterized as a Ponderosa Pine woodland with fairly mature trees and a 35°~ to 40°b
<br />canopy cover. In addition to the Ponderosa Pine, we observed willow, cottonwood, rushes, sedges, bull rush, little
<br />bluestem, blue grams, spiderwort, paintbrush, bluebell, prickly pear, and sand dropseed at the site. Spring
<br />Branch, a tributary of West Bijou Creek traverses the western side of the property immediately adjacent to the
<br />western parcels (1,3,5, 8 r7 to be mined. Contrary to the statement in Exhibit G, this creek exhibits perennial
<br />flows through the properly and also contains several ponds within its flood plain. It has well established
<br />wetland/riparian vegetation and is being used by a diverse number of wildlife species. Mule Deer, Elk, Mourning
<br />Dove, Mallards, Antelope, Abert's Squirrel, Western Meadowlark, Eastern Kingbirds, Red-Winged Blackbirds,
<br />and nesting raptors are know to use or are known in the immediate vicinity of the site.
<br />Currently, the area previously mined abuts Spring Branch and erosion into the drainage is evident.
<br />Additionally, it appears that soil and overburden have been pushed over the edge and slopes on the reclaimed
<br />bench appear as steep as 1 H:1 V. Erosion into Spring Branch appears to have eliminated the defined channel of
<br />the stream that is clearly evident further upstream.
<br />It is our observation that the application for conversion from a 110 (c) to a 112 (c) Construction Materials
<br />operation is somewhat lacking in detail, and some of the supporting documentation, especially the wildlife
<br />evaluation (09!26/88), is dated. Although the NRCS was consulted and made many speafic mining and
<br />reclamation recommendations it is not apparent either in Exhibit D -Mining Plan or Exhibit E -Reclamation
<br />Plan that their recommendations were incorporated as part of this application. Additionally, although several
<br />references are made regarding the site being characterized as a "native grazeable woodland" and that it would
<br />be reclaimed with apost-mining use as a "grazeable woodland" no mention is made in either the mining plan or
<br />reclamation plan regarding inventory and removal of the ponderosa pine. Ponderosa Pine also is not mentioned
<br />in the reclamation seed mix. Finally, the entire west face of this site is visible from Road 94 as one travels east
<br />and the mining operation on Sections 1,3,5,& 7 will be observable to individuals driving by contrary to the
<br />statement made in Exhibit C.
<br />DEPARTMENT OF NATURAL RESOURCES, Greg Watcher, Executive Director
<br />WILDLIFE COMMISSION, Bernard L. Black, Jr., Chairman • Ridc Enstom, Vice-Chairman • Philip James, Secretary
<br />Members, Tom Burke • Mark LeVatey • Marianna Raftopoulos • Robert Shoemaker • Olive Valdez
<br />Ex-0Ifido Members, Greg Watcher and Don Ament
<br />
|