Surface Water Features, Floodplains & Water Quality Village at Wolf Creek Land Exchange

Private Parcel Mineral County, Colorado

prepared for:

The Village at Wolf Creek, LLC 12117 Bee Cave Road, Suite 240, Austin, TX 78738 prepared by:

Western Ecological Resource, Inc. 711 Walnut Street, Boulder, CO 80302

July 2010

Table of Contents Section / Title Page

1.0 Introduction ...........................................................................................................................1 2.0 Environmental Setting ............................................................................................................1 3.0 Surface Water Features...........................................................................................................1

3.1 Streams...............................................................................................................................1 3.2 Ponds .................................................................................................................................1 3.3 Springs ...............................................................................................................................4

4.0 Floodplains ............................................................................................................................4 5.0 Factors Affecting Water Quality, Streams & Watershed Health................................................4

5.1 Timber Harvesting ..............................................................................................................4 5.2 Livestock Grazing ...............................................................................................................4 5.3 Roadways...........................................................................................................................4 5.4 Recreational Activities ........................................................................................................5 5.5 Ski Area Wastewater Discharge ..........................................................................................5 5.6 CDOT Maintenance Facility ...............................................................................................5

6.0 Summary................................................................................................................................6 7.0 References .............................................................................................................................8

List of Figures Number / Title Page

Figure 1. Project Location Map....................................................................................................2 Figure 2. Surface Water Features…………………………………………………………………..Back Folder

Figure 3. Benzene Plume Map.....................................................................................................7

List of Photos

Number / Title Page

Photo 1. North Tributary to Pass Creek. (8/3/05). ........................................................................3 Photo 2. South Tributary to Pass Creek. (8/3/05). ........................................................................3

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1.0 Introduction

The Village at Wolf Creek, LLC (Village) is preparing a proposal to exchange approximately 178 acres of their±300 acre private land parcel (Parcel) located adjacent to the Wolf Creek Ski Area at Wolf Creek Pass for an adjacent United States Forest Service (Forest Service) parcel of equal value and approximate size. Specifically, the private parcel is located in an un-sectioned portion of Township 37 North and Range 2 East in Mineral County, Colorado (Figure 1). This report describes the surface water features and floodplains of the Parcel, and identifies factors potentially affecting the water quality, streams, and watershed health on the ±178 acre private exchange Parcel. The enclosed Surface Water Features Map (Figure 2) illustrates the locations of perennial and intermittent streams, ponds, springs, and some features that may impact water quality. Please note, all Figures and Photos are located with the text or are inside the back cover of this report. 2.0 Environmental Setting

The Parcel is located south of U.S. Highway 160 about one mile from the summit of Wolf Creek Pass, and lies between the Continental Divide to the west and south and Alberta Park Reservoir to the east. The 500 feet of vertical relief ranges from a high of 10,850 feet on the steep slopes in the southwest to a low of 10,310 feet in the north. The Parcel slopes and drains to the north and to the east. The North Tributary to Pass Creek traverses the narrow northern end of the Parcel, and the South Tributary to Pass Creek bisects the central portion of the Parcel and flows east to Alberta Park Reservoir. Pass Creek is a perennial tributary to the South Fork of the Rio Grande River. In addition, there are numerous unnamed drainages which flow into the two tributaries to Pass Creek. The center of the Parcel is dominated by Alberta Park, a flat expanse of herbaceous wetlands, meadows, and fens. U.S. Forest Service Road 391 (Alberta Park Road), an unimproved dirt road, extends south from U.S. Highway 160 and then proceeds east across the Parcel to Alberta Park Reservoir, a USFS Recreation Area. The Alberta Ski Lift in Alberta Park extends south for about 2,500 linear feet across the Parcel from the base structure in Alberta Park. There are numerous ski runs and trails on the southern part of the Parcel near the Alberta Ski Lift, and a recently constructed ski-way extends across the western portion of the Parcel to the Alberta Ski Lift. 3.0 Surface Water Features

3.1 Streams

The Parcel contains approximately 11,354 linear feet of perennial streams and about 6,867 linear feet of ephemeral or intermittent streams. The major drainages include the North Tributary to Pass Creek (Photo 1), which bisects the northern portion of the Parcel, and the South Tributary to Pass Creek (Photo 2), which is located just south of USFS Road 391 near the central portion of the parcel. Both of these perennial streams are fed by numerous small perennial and ephemeral tributaries, as well as seeps and springs located inside and outside of the Parcel boundary. The North and South Tributaries to Pass Creek are generally characterized by well-vegetated, stable banks that do not show signs of detrimental erosion. Within the Parcel, the North Tributary averages approximately 6-10 feet in width, and the South Tributary is about 5-9 feet wide. 3.2 Ponds

There are no permanent ponds located on the private exchange Parcel.

BASE: USGS 7.5 Minute Wolf Creek Pass, Colorado QuadranglePhotorevised: 1984, NAD 83 UTMs

Scale 1" = 2000'Contour Interval = 40'

FIGURE 1. Project Location Map Private Exhange Parcel Village at Wolf Creek

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T 3

7 N

MapLocation

COLORADO

WESTERNECOLOGICALRESOURCE, INC.

711 Walnut Street Boulder, CO 80302

Exchange Parcel

PARCEL A

R 2 E

U.S. Hwy 160

Pass Creek

S. TributaryPass Creek

PondUSFS Rd. 391

N. TributaryPass Creek

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Photo 1. North Tributary to Pass Creek. (8/3/05).

Photo 2. South Tributary to Pass Creek. (8/3/05).

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3.3 Springs

Seven springs were identified on the private exchange Parcel during the wetland delineation completed in 2005. The spring locations were surveyed as a part of the delineation and are illustrated on Figure 2. 4.0 Floodplains

There are no FEMA-mapped 100-year floodplains on the Parcel. The entire project area is classified in Zone D, an area of undetermined risk. Specifically, Zone D refers to areas with possible and undetermined flood hazards where a flood hazard analysis has not yet been conducted. The major drainages of the Parcel, the North and South Tributaries to Pass Creek, have limited floodplain development. Both streams are characterized by discontinuous floodplains that average between 1-3 feet wide. The smaller, unnamed perennial, ephemeral, and intermittent streams do not have floodplains in most cases or are characterized by small, discontinuous floodplains up to one foot wide. 5.0 Factors Affecting Water Quality, Streams & Watershed Health

Stream and watershed health were evaluated during field reconnaissance conducted by Western Ecological Resource, Inc. in 2005, 2006, 2008, and 2009. Six major factors have been identified which could potentially impact the water quality and stream health of the Parcel. 5.1 Timber Harvesting

A detailed Vegetation Assessment produced for the Parcel by Western Ecological Resource in 2010 indicates that approximately 16.4 acres or 9.2% of the Parcel has been cleared primarily for small-scale logging operations. The forest clearings are comprised of scattered young spruce and fir trees and have a dense cover of graminoids that bind the soil and reduce the potential for erosion and sedimentation. Due to the regeneration of trees and the dense herbaceous cover in these areas, past logging activities on the Parcel have not resulted in a significant degradation of stream health or water quality. 5.2 Livestock Grazing

No evidence of livestock grazing was observed on the Parcel during field reconnaissance. The North and South Tributaries to Pass Creek and their tributary drainages are stable, well-vegetated, and do not generate above normal volumes of sediment. 5.3 Roadways

The Vegetation Assessment produced for the Parcel (Western Ecological Resource, 2010) states that unvegetated roadways and the disturbed cut and fill slopes associated with these roadways comprise approximately 4.7 acres (2.6%) of the 178 acre parcel. The major roadway within the Parcel, Forest Service Road 391 (Alberta Park Road), does not cross either the North or South Tributaries to Pass Creek and is unlikely to contribute significant volumes of sediment to these drainages or their tributaries. Most of the road crossings in the Parcel are located along smaller roadways in the south. The main access road through the southern portion of the Parcel crosses two perennial drainages, one of which flows through a culvert, thereby reducing the potential for sedimentation from the road. The other perennial drainage and four smaller ephemeral drainages, which flow only seasonally, flow across this main access road. There is a potential for sedimentation from the access road into these drainages, however no significant sediment deposits were observed during field reconnaissance. The other roadways present in the southern part of

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the Parcel are old, abandoned logging roads that are mostly vegetated. These roads have a low potential to cause sedimentation into the streams. Sand applied to Highway 160 during the winter months has the potential to impact the water quality of the North Tributary to Pass Creek and three of its perennial tributaries. Two of these tributaries convey flow from roadside ditches along the highway through culverts and into the North Tributary to Pass Creek. The third perennial tributary collects water from a ditch along the highway and from several smaller tributaries that flow from culverts below the Wolf Creek Ski Area parking lot and conveys the flow to the North Tributary to Pass Creek. Although the potential exists, no significant sediment deposits were noted in the stream channels within the Parcel during field reconnaissance. 5.4 Recreational Activities

As described above, the Parcel is located within the boundary of the Wolf Creek Ski Area. Approximately 16.4 acres (9.2%) of the Parcel has been cleared for ski runs or for small-scale logging operations. Potential water quality impacts from this vegetation clearing are discussed above in Section 5.1.1. Other potential impacts to water quality associated with the Ski Area include impacts from roadways, discussed above in Section 5.3, and the Wastewater Treatment Plant associated with the Ski Area, which is addressed below in Section 5.5. Other recreational uses of the area include camping and fishing at the Alberta Park Reservoir, which is outside the Parcel boundary, fishing along streams that cross the Parcel, and hunting. These recreational uses are unlikely to have any significant impact on the water quality or streams of the Parcel. 5.5 Ski Area Wastewater Discharge

The Wolf Creek Ski Area operates a wastewater treatment system that also processes waste from the Colorado Department of Transportation Facilities located across Highway 160. The system uses a sequence batch reactor and activated sludge to treat the wastewater, and it discharges into the North Fork of Pass Creek near the Ski Area Parking Lot (Mike Bergon, personal communication) (Figure 2). The discharge from the wastewater treatment plant has the potential to impact the water quality of the unnamed tributary drainage and the North Tributary to Pass Creek if State water quality standards are exceeded. This discharge is regulated by the State as codified in the Colorado Water Quality Control Act, and discharge records must be filed with the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment. Any violation of State water quality standards could be subject to suspension, revocation, or modification of the Discharge Permit and could result in fines and other penalties. 5.6 CDOT Maintenance Facility

The Colorado Department of Transportation’s highway maintenance yard is located approximately 1,700 feet northwest of the Parcel, along U.S. Highway 160 at milepost 167.7 and directly across from the entrance to the Wolf Creek Ski Area. The facility had four belowground storage tanks which were removed in September 1989. Diesel fuel leaking from one or more of these tanks has resulted in groundwater contamination from a dissolved-phase petroleum hydrocarbon plume. The contaminant of concern originating from this plume is benzene, a gasoline additive, however toluene, ethyl-benzene, xylene, MTBE, and TVPH have also been detected. To mitigate groundwater impacts from the leaking storage tanks, a monitoring and remediation program has been initiated. Approximately 234 cubic yards of contaminated soil were removed from the site in 1989, and a series of groundwater monitoring wells was installed. In addition, an iSOC oxygen-diffuser remediation system was activated in December 2005. The groundwater wells are monitored by Ralf Topper of the Colorado Geological Survey, and semi-annual reports are submitted to the State of Colorado’s Division of Oil and Public Safety.

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The December 2009 report documents the current monitoring well data and includes a Plume Map (Figure 3) that illustrates the approximate location of the benzene plume. As shown by the figure, the plume extends to the southeast toward the North Tributary to Pass Creek and is within the alluvial drainage of the creek. The plume map shows concentrations of up to 5 micrograms per liter and does not map benzene concentrations below that level. The 5 micrograms per liter contour does not extend onto the Parcel, however lower concentrations may potentially be present. The presence of the hydrocarbon plume has the potential to affect groundwater quality within the Parcel, however it is unlikely to affect the surface water quality (Don Ganser, personal communication). The December 2009 report notes that the long-term trend in benzene concentrations is decreasing at the source and downgradient, however it has reached an asymptotic relationship. It states that “the current remedial action does not appear to adequately address the cleanup goals and a projected closure date is unknown.” The author of the report has requested a meeting with personnel from the Division of Oil & Public Safety to discuss future remedial actions at the site. 6.0 Summary

The ±178 acre Parcel contains approximately 11,354 feet linear feet of perennial streams and about 6,897 linear feet of ephemeral or intermittent streams. The major streams and their tributary drainages have well-vegetated, stable banks, and do not show evidence of detrimental erosion. These low-order streams have limited floodplain development. There are no FEMA-mapped 100-year floodplains on the Parcel, and the entire area is mapped within Zone D, an area of undetermined risk. In terms of water quality, the largest potential impacts could come from a benzene plume originating from a leaky belowground storage tank at the CDOT Wolf Creek Pass Maintenance Yard, which has since been removed, and the discharge from the Wolf Creek Ski Area Wastewater Treatment Plant, if effluent standards are exceeded. Although the benzene plume extends onto the alluvial aquifer of the North Tributary to Pass Creek, benzene concentrations are estimated to be low within the groundwater of the Parcel (below 5 micrograms per liter) and the surface water is unlikely to be impacted (Don Ganser, personal communication). The discharge from the Wastewater Treatment Plant is closely regulated by the State of Colorado, which can revoke or modify the discharge permit and issue other sanctions if water quality standards are exceeded. There is a low potential for water quality impacts from roadways and road sand used during the winter months, however no sand deposits were observed in the stream channels during field reconnaissance. Recreational activities and past timber harvesting have a very low potential to impact water quality on the Parcel.

Figure 3. Benzene Plume Map7

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7.0 References

Bergon, Mike. Operator of Wolf Creek Ski Area Wastewater Treatment Plant. Personal

Communication to Heather Houston of Western Ecological Resource. September 23, 2009.

Carsey, K., G. Kittel, K. Decker, D.J. Cooper, and D. Culver. 2003. Field Guide to the Wetland

and Riparian Plant Associations of Colorado. Colorado Natural Heritage Program, Fort Collins, CO.

Colorado Department of Transportation. 2009. Monitoring and Remediation Report for the

Department of Labor & Employment, Division of Oil and Public Safety. CDOT Wolf Creek Pass Highway Maintenance Yard, Event ID 7414. Reporting period: Half 2, 2009.

Colorado Natural Heritage Program (CNHP). 2003. Field Guide to the Wetland and Riparian

Plant Associations of Colorado. Colorado Natural Heritage Program, Fort Collins, Colorado.

Cowardin, L.M., V. Carter, F.C. Golet, and E.T. La Roe. 1979. Classification of wetlands and

deepwater habitats of the United States. U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Pub. FWS/OBS-79/31, Washington, D.C., 103 p.

Ganser, D. 2010. Personal Communication to Heather Houston of Western Ecological Resource.

September 17, 2009. Ganser, D. R. 2006. Hydrogeological Characterization and Monitoring Report, The Village at

Wolf Creek. Prepared for: The Village at Wolf Creek, Austin, Texas. Prepared by: Don Ganser & Associates, Lakewood, Colorado, January 31, 2006.

Harrington, H.D. 1964. Manual of the Plants of Colorado. The Swallow Press, Inc. Chicago,

Illinois 60605. Kartesz, J.T. 1994a. A Synonymized Checklist of the Vascular Flora of the United States, Canada,

and Greenland. Vol. 1 - Checklist. Second edition. Timber Press, Inc. Portland, Oregon. 622 p.

Kartesz, J.T. 1994b. A Synonymized Checklist of the Vascular Flora of the United States, Canada,

and Greenland. Vol. 2 - Thesaurus. Second edition. Timber Press, Inc. Portland, Oregon. 816 p.

National List of Plant Species that Occur in Wetlands. 1988 List. Intermountain (R8) Region.

http://www.nwi.fws.gov/bha/ NatureServe Explorer: An Online Encyclopedia of Life. http://www.natureserve.org/explorer/ U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. 2008. Interim Regional Supplement to the Corps of Engineers

Wetland Delineation Manual: Western Mountains, Valleys, and Coast Region. ERDC/EC TR-08-13. U.S. Army Engineer Research and Development Center, Vicksburg MS.

U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. 1987. Wetlands Delineation Manual, Technical Report Y-87-1.

U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Waterways Experiment Station, Vicksburg, MS. USDA, NRCS. 2007. The PLANTS Database (http://plants.usda.gov). National Plant Data Center,

Baton Rouge, LA 70874-4490 USA.

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USFS. 2007. Handkerchief Mesa Timber Environmental Assessment for Comment. Divide Ranger

District, Rio Grande National Forest. March, 2007. University of Colorado Herbarium (COLO). Specimen Database of Colorado Vascular Plants.

http://cumuseum.colorado.edu/Research/Botany/Databases/search.php Weber, W. A. and R. C. Whitmann. 2001. Colorado Flora: Western Slope, Third edition.

University Press of Colorado. Boulder, Colorado. Weber, W.A. & R.C. Wittmann. 1992. Catalog of the Colorado Flora: a Biodiversity Baseline.

University Press of Colorado. Niwot, Colorado. Including most recent addenda available from CU Herbarium (COLO), Boulder, Colorado.

Western Ecological Resource. July 2010. Vegetation Assessment. Village at Wolf Creek Land

Exchange Private Parcel. Mineral County, Colorado. Prepared for the Village at Wolf Creek Development Corporation.

Western Ecological Resource. July 2010. Wetland Assessment. Village at Wolf Creek Land

Exchange Private Parcel. Mineral County, Colorado. Prepared for the Village at Wolf Creek Development Corporation.

Western Ecological Resource. May 2010. Wetland Delineation Report. U.S. Forest Service Study

Area. Mineral County, Colorado. Prepared for the Village at Wolf Creek Development Corporation.

Western Ecological Resource. 2006. Wetland Delineation Report, Alternative 4 Access Road for

Village at Wolf Creek, Rio Grande National Forest, Mineral County, Colorado. Prepared for The Village at Wolf Creek Development Corporation, Austin, TX. Boulder, CO.

Western Ecological Resource. 2005. Wetland Delineation Report, Village at Wolf Creek, Mineral

County, Colorado. Prepared for: The Village at Wolf Creek Development Corporation. Prepared by: Western Ecological Resource, Inc. Boulder, CO, November 2005.