Attachment B Existing Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (WDNR) Information and Other Sources of Information

Back03.10.14 DNR letter provides requirements to Gogebic Taconite for potential mining project

Attachment B

Preapplication Notification Information Pursuant to s. 295.465(2), Wis. Stats.

March 10, 2014

Existing Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (WDNR) Information and Other Sources of Information

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The department maintains a wide variety of information in its databases that could be relevant to the potential impacts of the mining project, including information that could assist in the evaluation of the environmental impact of the project and to expedite the preparation of the EIR. Available information includes data on wetlands, surface water, fisheries, groundwater, drinking water, forestry, and wildlife. Examples of the types of information in the department’s databases are provided below.

Wetland Information and Resources

1. Wisconsin wetland inventory (WWI) maps are available on the WDNR surface water data viewer at: http://dnrmaps.wi.gov/SL/Viewer.html?Viewer=SWDV&runWorkflow=Wetland. WWI maps show graphic representations of the type, size and location of wetlands in Wisconsin. These maps have been prepared from the analysis of high altitude imagery in conjunction with soil surveys, topographic maps, previous wetland inventories and field work. The principal focus of the WWI is to produce wetland maps that are graphic representations of the type, size and location of wetlands in Wisconsin. The WDNR recognizes the limitations of using remotely sensed information as the primary data source. They are to be used as a guide for planning purposes. There is no attempt, in either the design or products of this inventory, to define the limits of jurisdiction of any Federal, State, or local government or to establish the geographical scope of the regulatory programs of government agencies. Persons intending to engage in activities involving modifications within or adjacent to wetland areas should seek the advice of appropriate Federal, State, or local agencies concerning specified agency regulatory programs and jurisdictions that may affect such activities. The most accurate method of determining the legal extent of a wetland for federal or state regulations is a field delineation of the wetland boundary by a professional trained in wetland delineation techniques. Wetlands in Ashland and Iron Counties are currently being delineated and classified using 2013 stereo aerial photography. This part of the Wisconsin Wetland Inventory update process will be completed by June 30, 2014. Ortho rectification of the photography, vectorizing of line work and labeling of polygons will commence July 1, 2014. We anticipate completing the townships within the mine project area no later than December 31, 2014.

2. Wisconsin Wetland Inventory Mapping for Iron and Ashland County: The WDNR has created a map of the mine site using available WWI map information depicting mapped and point symbol wetlands and estimated wetland acreages. The following map and table are taken from the current Wisconsin Wetland Inventory digital GIS layer for Ashland and Iron Counties, which is based on interpretation of 1990-91 aerial photography. WWI maps wetlands that are too difficult to delineate clearly as point symbols, rather than mapping the boundaries of these wetlands as polygons. No acreage can be calculated for points, therefore we used two different assumptions to estimate point acreage: 1 acre per point or two acres per point. The total acreages reported in this table should be considered as a range.

The map shown below is a reproduction of the paper map submitted to the department by Gogebic Taconite. Stream, wetland and elevation data are from existing department sources. Possible stream and wetland monitoring stations in and near the Mine Site are shown. Stations further from the site are not shown on this map.

Mine Site Area Map Terms:

Project Area indicates the outer boundaries of the proposed mine site, (not necessarily impacted areas).

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Interior (Operations Area) indicates the area in which mining operations are planned. It includes the pits, plant area, sediment ponds/trenches, stockpile and topsoil areas. GTAC labeled this as ‘Interior” in their submittal.

Physical Plant Area indicates the area in which buildings and other facilities will be placed. Pits indicates mine pits one and two.

Stockpile Area indicates where waste rock will be placed (not including the sediment ponds or storm water drainage ways).

Topsoil Stockpile Area indicates where stripped topsoil will be placed (but not including the sediment ponds or Storm water drainage ways).

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Mapped Wetlands Within and Near the GTAC Mine Site Based on Wisconsin Wetland Inventory_1991 (Polygons + Points)

Entire Project Area

Operations Area Plus 300m Buffer

Operations Area Plus 100m Buffer

Operation s Area

Physica l Plant Area

Pits

Waste Rock Stock Pile

Soil Stock Pile

Area (Acres)

6,707

5,117

3,811

3,051

545

526

991

195

Mapped Wetland Polygon Acreage

Count

155

111

64

43

16

8

16

1

Acres

1,638

840

413

259

117

12

96

1

Mapped Wetland Points (2 acres or less) Estimated Acre Range

Count

276

235

190

162

17

18

75

16

Acres @ 1/pt

276

235

190

162

17

18

75

16

Acres @ 2/pt

552

470

380

324

34

36

150

32

Total Estimated Wetland Acreage

@ 1 acre/pt

1,914

1,075

603

421

134

30

171

17

@ 2 acre/pt

2,190

1,310

793

583

151

48

246

33

Percent Wetland

@ 1 acre/pt

28.54%

21.01%

15.82%

13.80%

27.71%

5.70%

17.26%

8.72%

@ 2 acre/pt

32.65%

25.60%

20.81%

19.11%

24.59%

9.13%

24.82%

16.92%

3. National Wetland Condition Assessment (NWCA) 2011: Wetlands of four freshwater and two estuarine types were randomly selected across the nation. 17 freshwater sites were located in Wisconsin. They are representative of the two study ecoregions that occur in Wisconsin, Upper Midwest and Temperate Plains (Omernik 1987, USEPA 2011). Vegetation, algae, soil and water chemistry sampling was conducted along with characterization of land cover, hydrological setting and stressors in the assessment area and in a 100m buffer area. Data analysis is on-going and results are expected to be published by December of 2014.

4. Lake Superior Basin Floristic Quality Assessment (FQA) Benchmarks Survey: This is a research study of the inland (not coastal) wetland plant communities in the Lake Superior Basin, using timed meander sampling to gather comprehensive presence and abundance data at 265 assessment areas of 9 plant community types during the growing seasons of 2012 and 2013, along with land cover and an assessment of the level of anthropogenic disturbance at each assessment area. The purpose is to study the response of FQA metrics to disturbance for each wetland plant community type, in order to set benchmarks distinguishing between low, medium and high plant community condition for these metrics. Field data was gathered by UW-Superior’s Lake Superior Research Institute (LSRI) in accordance with a Quality Assurance Project Plan. Data analysis is on-going and results along with any proposed benchmarks are expected to be released in April 2014 by LSRI and the department’s Water Quality Bureau. The study will help guide interpretation of plant community surveys conducted in accordance with its sampling protocol.

5. NWI + Projects for Landscape Level Wetland Functional Assessment

6. ‘NWI+” is shorthand for an enhancement of the National Wetland Inventory, adding

hydrogeomorphic classifications that describe a wetland’s Landscape position, Landform, 4

Water flow path, and Waterbody type (LLWW descriptors). The US Fish and Wildlife Service have a manual for assigning these descriptors, “Dichotomous Keys and Mapping Codes for Wetland Landscape Position, Landform, Water Flow Path, and Waterbody Type Descriptors: Version 2.0” (R. Tiner 2011). This system has been used to describe wetland functional assessment at the watershed scale in several projects in Wisconsin. The closest NWI + project to the Mine Site were in the Upper St Croix Watershed (Watershed Study Report For The Headwaters of the St. Croix River Basin, WI”, US Army Corps of Engineers, 2013). Two other similar projects have been recently completed using this methodology: “A Landscape-Scale Wetland Functional Assessment and Identification of Potential Wetland Restoration Sites for the Stockbridge-Munsee Community” (J.Stark and D. Jensen, St Mary’s University Geospatial Services 2013) and “The Duck-Pensaukee Watershed Approach: Mapping Wetland Services, Meeting Watershed Needs” (N. Miller, et al., The Nature Conservancy 2012).

Surface Water Quality Information and Resources

The department has several continuing or completed monitoring projects. Because the data are collected to meet the requirements of the specific project, an understanding of the goals and objectives the projects is necessary to interpret these data.

Baseline Stream Tier 1 monitoring: This is a category for a number of baseline monitoring programs that usually consists of a single year of sampling for macroinvertebrate assemblages, fish assemblages, qualitative habitat rating and a single water chemistry grab sample using standard WDNR methods, index periods and biotic indices.

Long Term Trend Wade-able: A monitoring program that samples every year at static regionally least disturbed reference sites to track changes in wadeable streams. Monitoring consists of macroinvertebrate assemblages, fish assemblages, quantitative habitat rating and a single water chemistry grab sample using standard WDNR methods, index periods and biotic indices.

Long Term Trend River: A monitoring program that monitors monthly or quarterly (depending on site) at non-wadeable river sites associated with a USGS gauge to track changes in water quality parameters concentration and loading from grab samples collected during both base flow and runoff events. This monitoring program has the longest continuous period of record and most extensive chemical parameters.

Severely impacted streams: A monitoring program that monitors a single visit at sites predicted to be regionally most disturbed based on anthropogenic stressors. Monitoring consists of macroinvertebrate assemblages, fish assemblages, qualitative habitat rating and a single water chemistry grab sample using standard WDNR methods, index periods and biotic indices.

Tyler Forks Watershed Project 2012 and 2013: A watershed monitoring project was conducted in the Tyler Forks River watershed in 2012 and 2013. Additional waterways were monitored in portions of the Upper Bad, and Potato River watersheds. The purpose of the monitoring was to collect water quality information on area streams. The data gathered will be used for the purposes of updating waterbody assessment status (i.e. future monitoring for 303(d) or ERW/ORW status), for making management recommendations and updating water body and watershed narratives in our WATERS database, and for use in watershed planning. The monitoring included; water chemistry sampling, fish surveys, macroinvertebrate kick samples, habitat assessments, field parameters (dissolved oxygen, conductivity, pH, temperature, transparency tube) and continuous

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temperature monitoring. The water chemistry sampling included nutrients, trace metals, sulfate, chloride, harness, alkalinity, and total organic carbon at 13 sites on 10 waterways.

National Streams Assessment: The National Rivers and Streams Assessment (NRSA) is an EPA lead monitoring project designed to provide regional and national estimates of stream condition using a probabilistic site selection. All chemical measures should be directly comparable to WDNR collected data; however physical habitat measurements and biologic assessment protocols are different from WDNR protocols and may not be directly comparable.

Citizen Lake Monitoring: Trained citizen volunteers measure Secchi depth bimonthly, and temperature, dissolved oxygen profiles, total phosphorus, and chlorophyll a during spring and fall turnover plus three times during summer. This monitoring has broad spatial coverage, with approximately 925 volunteers monitoring water quality at more than 800 monitoring stations throughout the state. This data is used to determine trophic status and assess lakes for water quality. http://dnr.wi.gov/lakes/clmn/

Long Term Trend Lakes: WDNR collects samples from 65 lakes throughout the state to monitor long-term trends in water quality and provide regional reference conditions for each lake class. The following variables are measured once during spring turnover and three times during summer: Secchi depth, temperature/dissolved oxygen profile, total phosphorus, chlorophyll a, and optionally, conductivity and pH. Water color, nitrate, nitrite, and total Kjeldahl nitrogen are measured once each year in the middle of summer. Calcium and Magnesium are measured on a 5- year cycle. http://dnr.wi.gov/topic/surfacewater/monitoring/strategy/Tier1/Ch1- Lakes_MonStrat_11-6-2008.pdf

Lake Clarity from Satellite Imagery: WDNR Science Services analyzes satellite imagery each year to estimate water clarity in more than 3000 lakes across the state.

Fish Contaminants: Tissue from a variety of fish species in lakes and rivers across the state is sampled for mercury and other metals. Priority lakes are sampled every 10-15 years, whereas other lakes have only been visited once. http://intranet.dnr.state.wi.us/int/water/fhp/pages/database-fishcontaminants.html

Trout Lake Research Station: . Long-term research on mercury cycling in lakes near the Trout Lake Long Term Ecological Research field station is available and can provide baseline data to characterize lakes prior to, during, and after mining.

National Lakes Assessment 2007 and 2012: Lakes were randomly selected (39 lakes in 2007, 50 lakes in 2012) for sampling by the US Environmental Protection Agency and therefore, should be representative of lakes throughout the state. This survey included the following indicators:

Early Detection Invasive Species Monitoring for Lakes: In 2011, the WDNR received a Great Lakes Restoration Initiative grant to develop a statewide AIS monitoring protocol to evaluate the rate of AIS spread in state and determine AIS distribution.

GLRI Lake Superior Phosphorus Study: A monitoring program at static stations that measure flow with USGS gauges and phosphorus concentrations through monthly and event based grab samples to calculate phosphorus loading to Lake Superior.

Algal

Toxins, Benthic Macroinvertebrates, Chlorophyll A, Nutrients, Phytoplankton, Sediment Dating,

Sediment Diatoms, Sediment Mercury, Water Chemistry, and Zooplankton.

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National Wetland Condition Assessment (NWCA) 2011: Wetlands of four freshwater and two estuarine types were randomly selected across the nation. 17 freshwater sites were located in Wisconsin. Vegetation, algae, soil and water chemistry sampling was conducted along with characterization of land cover, hydrological setting and stressors in the assessment area and in a 100m buffer area. Data analysis is on-going and results are expected to be published by December of 2014.

Wisconsin Wetland Inventory (WWI) Mapping for Iron and Ashland County: WWI maps show graphic representations of the type, size and location of wetlands in Wisconsin. These maps have been prepared from the analysis of high altitude imagery in conjunction with soil surveys, topographic maps, previous wetland inventories and field work. The principal focus of the WWI is to produce wetland maps that are graphic representations of the type, size and location of wetlands in Wisconsin. We anticipate completing the townships within the mine project area no later than December 31, 2014.

Lake Superior Basin Floristic Quality Assessment (FQA) Benchmarks Survey: This is a research study of the inland (not coastal) wetland plant communities in the Lake Superior Basin, using timed meander sampling to gather comprehensive presence and abundance data at 265 assessment areas of 9 plant community types during the growing seasons of 2012 and 2013, along with land cover and an assessment of the level of anthropogenic disturbance at each assessment area. The purpose is to study the response of FQA metrics to disturbance for each wetland plant community type, in order to set benchmarks distinguishing between low, medium and high plant community condition for these metrics. The study will help guide interpretation of plant community surveys conducted in accordance with the it’s sampling protocol.

NWI + Projects for Landscape Level Wetland Functional Assessment

‘NWI+” is shorthand for an enhancement of the National Wetland Inventory, adding hydrogeomorphic classifications that describe a wetland’s Landscape position, Landform, Water flow path, and Waterbody type (LLWW descriptors). The US Fish and Wildlife Service have a manual for assigning these descriptors, “Dichotomous Keys and Mapping Codes for Wetland Landscape Position, Landform, Water Flow Path, and Waterbody Type Descriptors: Version 2.0” (R. Tiner 2011). This system has been used to describe wetland functional assessment at the watershed scale in several projects in Wisconsin.

Trout stream classifications: Pursuant to s. NR 1.02(7), Wis. Adm. Code, the department is directed to identify and classify trout streams according to standards in that section to ensure adequate protection and proper management of this unique resource. The Fisheries Bureau uses the results from ~900 surveys of stream sites conducted annually across the state to continuously update the classification system based on the standards and procedures in the administrative code. The code requires the department to maintain a list of classified streams for public information but specifically states that the list “shall not be assumed to be exhaustive.” Trout stream classifications have formal legal standing in high capacity well and certain water regulations permit reviews, and have been the basis for making WPDES program use classifications.

The Mercer WDNR Fish Team (charged with fisheries management responsibilities in Iron and Ashland Counties) is considering the following waterbodies for classification as trout streams in the vicinity of the proposed mine. Any proposed updates will follow the classification process as outlined in NR 1.02(7). The following listing includes the WDNR’s Waterbody Identification Code (WBIC) and Stream Name:

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4000019 – Unnamed Cr. 2906450 – Unnamed Cr. 2930200 – Unnamed Cr. 2926600 – Unnamed Cr. 2930900 – Unnamed Cr.

Fisheries baseline monitoring: Fisheries Management has established baseline fish monitoring protocols for all wadeable streams, non wadeable rivers, and lakes which contain fish populations that are actively managed by the program. The protocols include standard gear deployment, number of sites to be sampled for each waterbody, and a schedule under which the frequency of sampling is related to the use and importance of the waterbody. The baseline monitoring program is intended to allow local fisheries biologists to make decisions on stocking, harvest regulation and habitat management actions for primary managed species.

Fisheries “Tier 2” Monitoring: Fisheries Management at times designs ad hoc special “Tier 2” surveys to collect information on managed species that are not adequately covered by our baseline protocol (e.g., sturgeon and catfish in some waters), or to follow up on specific management problems identified by baseline monitoring which require more detailed information.

The department has water quality data stored in several data bases. These data were collected as part of various monitoring programs or special projects each with their own specific objectives. The department can provide data from the data bases electronically upon request.

The following tables identify the streams and lakes where WDNR data are available. These data tables list survey sites in the following HUC 10 watersheds; Tyler Forks, Upper Bad, Lower Bad, Potato River, Montreal River, Marengo River, and Portions of the West Fork and East Fork of the Chippewa River and Upper North Fork Flambeau River. Data are available for lakes within a 50 mile radius of the mine site.

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Table 1 Streams in the Penokee Region with water resources data.

Waterbody

WBIC

Earliest Sample

Latest Sample

Number of Stations

WQ Unique Sample Events

Macroinvertebrate Unique Sample Events

HUC10

Tyler Forks

2923100

10/14/2009

10/17/2013

6

53

12

Tyler Forks Watershed

Scott Tyler Creek

2923300

11/02/2005

10/17/2012

2

1

2

Tyler Forks Watershed

Unnamed Creek

2923400

06/01/2012

10/29/2012

1

1

1

Tyler Forks Watershed

Gehrman Creek

2923500

05/30/2012

10/29/2012

2

2

1

Tyler Forks Watershed

Camp Four Creek

2923600

05/30/2012

10/18/2012

1

1

1

Tyler Forks Watershed

Feldcher Creek

2923800

05/30/2012

10/29/2012

1

1

1

Tyler Forks Watershed

Vogue Creek

2924100

11/02/2005

10/29/2012

2

1

2

Tyler Forks Watershed

Unnamed Creek

2924300

05/30/2012

11/08/2012

1

1

1

Tyler Forks Watershed

Javorsky Creek

2924600

10/04/2011

10/15/2013

1

14

3

Tyler Forks Watershed

Erickson Creek

2924800

05/27/2011

11/08/2012

1

3

3

Tyler Forks Watershed

Rouse Creek

2925000

09/27/2006

09/24/2008

2

0

14

Tyler Forks Watershed

Unnamed Creek

2925100

05/27/2011

10/05/2012

1

3

0

Tyler Forks Watershed

Mud Creek

2926000

04/30/2008

09/28/2012

2

2

1

Tyler Forks Watershed

Unnamed Creek

2926200

11/03/2005

10/15/2013

2

10

1

Tyler Forks Watershed

Unnamed Creek

2926600

06/01/2012

10/01/2013

2

2

1

Tyler Forks Watershed

Bull Gus Creek

2926700

11/03/2005

10/15/2013

2

15

2

Tyler Forks Watershed

Unnamed Creek

2927400

11/03/2005

11/03/2005

1

0

1

Tyler Forks Watershed

Bad River

2891900

07/28/2005

10/17/2013

4

14

1

Upper Bad River Watershed

Devils Creek

2929300

09/21/2000

10/15/2013

4

17

6

Upper Bad River Watershed

Montreal Creek

2929400

05/30/2012

10/18/2012

1

1

1

Upper Bad River Watershed

Opergard Creek

2929700

05/27/2011

10/05/2012

1

2

2

Upper Bad River Watershed

City Creek

2930100

05/24/2011

09/19/2012

1

2

2

Upper Bad River Watershed

Ballou Creek

2930700

05/19/2011

10/15/2013

2

18

5

Upper Bad River Watershed

Unnamed Creek

2930900

05/31/2013

11/05/2013

1

1

0

Upper Bad River Watershed

Brush Creek

2933600

04/28/1993

04/28/1993

1

0

3

Upper Bad River Watershed

Bad River

2891900

4/17/61

10/8/13

1

359

0

Bad River Watershed

Potato River

2906200

06/08/1979

10/17/2013

5

10

7

Potato River Watershed

Vaughn Creek

2906300

06/22/1979

11/28/2006

3

1

4

Potato River Watershed

Frieberg Creek

2907600

04/23/2012

09/28/2012

1

1

0

Potato River Watershed

Sixteen Creek

2908850

05/13/2013

10/15/2013

1

10

0

Potato River Watershed

Norman Creek

2910400

05/13/2013

10/15/2013

1

10

0

Potato River Watershed

Unnamed Creek

3000519

04/25/2007

09/23/2008

2

0

14

Potato River Watershed

Unnamed Creek

3000520

04/25/2007

09/15/2008

1

0

4

Potato River Watershed

Table 2. Existing lake data in and near the Penokee Range within approximately 50 miles of the mine site. “Limnology” refers to physical and chemical lake data including chlorophyll a, “Fish Hg” refers to mercury and other metals data analyzed in fish tissue, “Fish” includes abundance and size data of fish by species, and “Plant” refers to Point-Intercept aquatic plant surveys.

Lake

County

WBIC

Limnology

Fish Hg

Fish

Plant

Spillerberg Lake

Ashland

2936200

1

1

1

English Lake

Ashland

2914800

1

1

Mineral Lake

Ashland

2916900

1

1

1

1

Meder Lake

Ashland

2935300

1

1

Augustine Lake

Ashland

2410400

1

1

Lake Galilee

Ashland

2935500

1

1

1

Upper Clam Lake

Ashland

2429600

1

Spider Lake

Ashland

2918600

1

1

Moquah Lake

Ashland

2918200

1

1

Potter Lake

Ashland

2917200

1

1

Gates Lake

Ashland

1850200

1

1

Bear Lake

Ashland

2403200

1

Anderson Lake

Bayfield

2754200

1

Diamond Lake

Bayfield

2897100

1

1

1

Middle Eau Claire Lake

Bayfield

2742100

1

1

1

Eagle Lake

Bayfield

2902900

1

1

1

Buskey Bay

Bayfield

2903800

1

1

Upper Eau Claire Lake

Bayfield

2742700

1

1

1

Lake Millicent

Bayfield

2903700

1

1

1

Twin Bear Lake

Bayfield

2903100

1

1

Hart Lake

Bayfield

2903200

1

1

1

Flynn Lake

Bayfield

2902800

1

1

9

Namekagon Lake Lake Owen Garden Lake George Lake Lake Tahkodah Tomahawk Lake Half Moon Lake Ellison Lake Cranberry Lake Bony Lake Shunenberg Lake Robinson Lake Samoset Lake Lake Wilipyro Island Lake Hammil Lake Wiley Lake

Cable Lake

Long Lake

Sand Bar Lake Pickerel Lake Phantom Lake Pigeon Lake Bark Bay Slough Dells Lake Atkins Lake Chippewa Lake Lester Lake Perch Lake

Lake Delta

Drummond Lake

Cisco Lake

Star Lake

Siskiwit Lake

Little Siskiwit Lake

Twin Lakes

Sawdust Lake

Lund Lake

Long Lake

Lake Ruth

Twin Lakes

Bufo Lake

Bladder Lake

Armstrong Lake

Birch Lake

Twin Lakes

Namekagon Lake Hildebrand Lake

East Eightmile Lake Bellevue Lake

Moon Lake

Bass Lake

Lower Eau Claire Lake Gile Flowage

Turtle Flambeau Flowage Mercer Lake

Spider Lake

Pardee Lake

Trude Lake

Wilson Lake

Little Pike Lake

Little Pine Lake

Grand Portage Lake

Lake of the Falls

Long Lake

Hewitt Lake

Rice Lake

Randall Lake

Sandy Beach Lake

Cedar Lake

Owl Lake

Bayfield 2732600 1 Bayfield 2900200 1 Bayfield 2735500 1 Bayfield 2465700 1 Bayfield 2473500 1 Bayfield 2501700 1 Bayfield 2762700 1 Bayfield 2463300 1 Bayfield 2741700 1 Bayfield 2742500 1 Bayfield 2743600 1 Bayfield 2743300 1 Bayfield 2494800 1 Bayfield 2473600 1 Bayfield 2470800 1 Bayfield 2467900 1 Bayfield 2729800 1 Bayfield 2729700 1 Bayfield 2767100 1 Bayfield 2494900 1 Bayfield 2489200 1 Bayfield 2771200 1 Bayfield 2489400 1 Bayfield 2881200 1 Bayfield 1844500 1 Bayfield 2734000 1 Bayfield 2431300 1 Bayfield 2766500 1 Bayfield 2770700

Bayfield 2901700

Bayfield 2899400

Bayfield 2899200

Bayfield 2898400

Bayfield 2882300

Bayfield 2882200

Bayfield 2832200

Bayfield 2773200

Bayfield 2767800

Bayfield 2767200

Bayfield 2765900

Bayfield 2761000

Bayfield 2757000

Bayfield 2756200

Bayfield 2754600

Bayfield 2743200

Bayfield 2731800

Bayfield 2689500

Bayfield 2469300

Bayfield 2462200

Bayfield 2755800

Bayfield 2768900

Bayfield 2901100

Douglas 2741600 1 Iron 2942300 1 Iron 2294900 1 Iron 2313600 1 Iron 2306300 1 Iron 2308000 1 Iron 2295200 1 Iron 2297000 1 Iron 2313100 1 Iron 2949500 1 Iron 2314100 1 Iron 2298300 1 Iron 2303500 1 Iron 2763300 1 Iron 2300600 1 Iron 2318500 1 Iron 2316100 1 Iron 2309700 1 Iron 2307600 1

1 1

1

1

1

1 1

1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1

1 1 1 1

1 1 1

1

1

1

1 1

1

10

1 1

1

1 1 1

1 1 1

Deertail Lake

Shine Lake

Bearskull Lake McDermott Lake

Upper Springstead Lake North Bass Lake

Lake Six

Fox Lake

First Black Lake

Weber Lake

Pine Lake

Echo Lake

Moose Lake

Squirrel Lake*

Franklin Lake

Shishebogama Lake

Blue Lake

Fuller Lake

Squaw Lake

Kawaguesaga Lake

Diamond Lake

Willow Lake

Great Bass Lake

Booth Lake

Swamsauger Lake

Buckskin Lake

Malby Lake

Minocqua Lake

Park Falls Flowage, Lower Pixley Flowage

Musser Flowage

Solberg Lake

Elk Lake

Long Lake

Butternut Lake

Lac Sault Dore

Round Lake

Big Dardis Lake

Newman Lake

Pike Lake

Turner Lake

Blockhouse Lake

Wilson Lake

Schnur Lake

Sailor Lake

Price Lake

Cranberry Lake

Tucker Lake

Deer Lake

Riley Lake

Duroy Lake

Bass Lake

Twin Lakes

Cochran Lake

Sailor Creek Flowage

Wilson Flowage

Lake Ten

Crane and Chase Lake Grassy Lake

Spider Lake

Nelson Lake (Totagatic Flow) Tiger Cat Flowage

Teal Lake

Lower Clam Lake

Teal River Flowage

Lost Land Lake

Moose Lake

Clear Lake

Connors Lake

Lake Placid

Blueberry Lake

Iron 1844300 1

Iron 2928200 1

Iron 2265100 1 1 Iron 2296500 1

Iron 2267100 1

Iron 1868900 1 1 Iron 2294500 1 1 Iron 1849500 1

Iron 2298500 1

Iron 2909000

Iron 2949200 1 Iron 2301800 1 Iron 2299300

Oneida 1536300 1 1 Oneida 986000 1 1 Oneida 1539600 1 1 Oneida 1538600 1

Oneida 2272000 1

Oneida 2271600 1 1 Oneida 1542300 1 1 Oneida 1537100 1

Oneida 1529500 1 1 Oneida 1851600 1

Oneida 1537800 1 1 Oneida 1528700 1 1 Oneida 2272600 1 Oneida 1002900 1 Oneida 1542400 1

Price 2290100 1 1 Price 2288900 1 1 Price 2245100 1 1 Price 2242500 1 1 Price 2240000 1 1 Price 2239300 1 1 Price 2283300 1 1 Price 2236800 1 1 Price 2267800 1 1 Price 2244200 1 1 Price 1870200 1 1 Price 2268300 1 1 Price 2268500 1 1 Price 2256800 1 1 Price 2239400 1 1 Price 2284000 1

Price 2254800 1 1 Price 2234600 1

Price 2217000 1 1 Price 2269000 1 1 Price 2239100 1

Price 2263400 1 1 Price 2240100 1 Price 2279800 1 Price 2264200 1 Price 2264000 1 Price 2252200 1 Price 2246500 1 Price 1859400 1 Price 2237500

Price 2238100

Sawyer 2435700 1 1 Sawyer 2704200 1 1 Sawyer 2435000 1 1 Sawyer 2417000 1 1 Sawyer 2429300 1 1 Sawyer 2416900 1

Sawyer 2418600 1 1 Sawyer 2420600 1 1 Sawyer 1841300 1 1 Sawyer 2275100 1 1 Sawyer 2436500 1

Sawyer 1835700 1 1

1

1 1 1

1 1 1

1 1

1

1

1

1 1

1

1 1

1

1 1

1 1 1

1 1

1

1 1

11

1 1

Barber Lake Ghost Lake

Black Dan Lake Black Lake Blaisdell Lake Barker Lake Radisson Flowage Island Lake

North Lake

Fawn Lake

Clear Lake

Christner Lake

Smith Lake

Spring Lake

Winter Lake (Price Flowage) Indian School Lake

Lake of the Pines Currier Lake

Lake Helane Silverthorn Lake Pelican Lake

Mud Lake Callahan Lake Fishtrap Lake Round Lake

Little Round Lake Pacwawong Spring Pacwawong Lake Crane Lake

Lake Chippewa

Loretta Lake (U Brunet Flowage) Evergreen Lake

Mason Lake

Two Axe Lake

Osprey Lake

Lac Courte Oreilles

Trout Lake

Little Rock Lake

Dead Pike Lake

Upper Gresham Lake

Johnson Lake

Clear Lake

Diamond Lake

Amik Lake

Gunlock Lake

Towanda Lake

Rest Lake

Island Lake

Moss Lake

Spider Lake

Little Spider Lake

Arrowhead Lake

Annabelle Lake

Lower Gresham Lake Horsehead Lake

Plummer Lake

Morton Lake

Hiawatha Lake

North Turtle Lake

Papoose Lake

Pokegama Lake

Birch Lake

Harris Lake

Crab Lake

South Turtle Lake

Bills Lake

Carlin Lake

Crystal Lake

Little Crawling Stone Lake Presque Isle Lake

Bobidosh Lake

Sawyer 2382300 1 1 Sawyer 2423000 1 1 Sawyer 2381900 1 1 Sawyer 2401300 1 1 Sawyer 2402200 1 1 Sawyer 2400000 1 1 Sawyer 2397400 1

Sawyer 2381800 1 1 Sawyer 2436000 1

Sawyer 2435900 1

Sawyer 2435800 1 1 Sawyer 1840800 1 1 Sawyer 2726100 1 1 Sawyer 2724900 1 1 Sawyer 2381100 1 1 Sawyer 2726000 1 1 Sawyer 2275300 1 1 Sawyer 1842800 1

Sawyer 1859100 1 1 Sawyer 2497000 1 1 Sawyer 1873100 1

Sawyer 2434800 1

Sawyer 2434700 1 1 Sawyer 2401100 1 1 Sawyer 2395600 1 1 Sawyer 2395500 1 Sawyer 2728900 1 Sawyer 2728700 1 Sawyer 2436900 1 Sawyer 2399700 1 Sawyer 2382700 1 Sawyer 2277600 1 Sawyer 2277200 1 Sawyer 1887200 1 Sawyer 2395100

Sawyer 2390800 1 1 Vilas 2331600 1 1 Vilas 1862100 1

Vilas 2316600 1 1 Vilas 2330800 1 1 Vilas 1541100 1

Vilas 2329000 1 1 Vilas 1844700 1

Vilas 2268600 1

Vilas 1539700 1 1 Vilas 1022900 1 1 Vilas 2327500 1 1 Vilas 2334400 1 1 Vilas 2322500 1

Vilas 2329300 1 1 Vilas 1540400 1 1 Vilas 1541500 1 1 Vilas 2953800 1 1 Vilas 2330300 1

Vilas 2953100 1 1 Vilas 1875100 1

Vilas 2960300 1

Vilas 2328400 1

Vilas 2310400 1 1 Vilas 2328700 1 1 Vilas 2320800 1

Vilas 2311100 1 1 Vilas 2958500 1 1 Vilas 2953500 1 1 Vilas 2310200 1 1 Vilas 1835500 1

Vilas 2757900 1

Vilas 1842400 1

Vilas 2324000 1

Vilas 2956500 1 1 Vilas 1836100 1

1

12

1 1

1 1

1 1

1 1

1

1

1

Ike Walton Lake Ross Allen Lake Van Vliet Lake Little Crooked Lake Stearns Lake White Sand Lake High Lake

Jag Lake

Middle Gresham Lake Wildcat Lake

Crawling Stone Lake Circle Lily Lake

Big Muskellunge Lake Armour Lake

Alder Lake

Nichols Lake

Oxbow Lake

Fishtrap Lake

Rock Lake

Sparkling Lake

Beaver Lake

Edith Lake

Mermaid Lake

Lower Sugarbush

Little John Lake

Placid Twin Lake, Geneveive Lake

Snake Lake

Little Star Lake

Fence Lake

Tenderfoot Lake Sanborn Lake

Wishow Lake Tippecanoe Lake

Nixon Lake Vandercook Lake Cochran Lake Allequash Lake

Lost Canoe Lake

White Sand Lake Boulder Lake

Big Lake

Mann Lake

Apeekwa Lake

Brandy Lake

Round Lake

Little Crab Lake

Big Crooked Lake McCullough Lake

Twin Island Lake

Lower Aimer Lake Knife Lake

Little Trout Lake

Favil Lake

Grassy Lake Manitowish Lake

Wild Rice Lake

Day Lake

Lynx Lake

Escanaba Lake

Little Sand Lake

Middle Sugarbush Lake Wabasso Lake

Signal Lake

Sherman Lake

Pallette Lake

Oswego Lake

Little Gibson Lake Camp Lake

Broken Bow Lake

Big Gibson Lake

Vilas 2321800 1 1 Vilas 1878100 1

Vilas 2956800 1 1 Vilas 2335500 1 1 Vilas 2323600 1 1 Vilas 2321100 1

Vilas 2344000 1 1

Vilas 1855900 1 1

Vilas 2330700 1 1 Vilas 2336800 1 1

Vilas 2322800 1

Vilas 2326700 1 1

Vilas 1835300 1 1

Vilas 2953200 1

Vilas 2329600 1 1

Vilas 1870400 1

Vilas 2954800 1 1

Vilas 2343200 1 1

Vilas 2311700 1 1

Vilas 1881900 1 1

Vilas 2960600 1

Vilas 1846900 1

Vilas 2768100 1

Vilas 2317600 1

Vilas 2332300 1 1

Vilas 2323800 1

Vilas 1850500 1

Vilas 1541700 1

Vilas 2334300 1 1

Vilas 2323000 1 1

Vilas 2962400 1 1

Vilas 2960200 1

Vilas 2046800 1

Vilas 1886000 1

Vilas 2341200 1 1 Vilas 1176400 1 1

Vilas 2963500 1

Lake North

Vilas 2332400 Vilas 2339800 Vilas 2339100 Vilas 2338300 Vilas 2334700 Vilas 2332000 Vilas 2269400 Vilas 1541300 Vilas 2334900 Vilas 2955900 Vilas 2321400 Vilas 2960400 Vilas 2959300 Vilas 2955000 Vilas 2954000 Vilas 2321600 Vilas 2269900 Vilas 2343900 Vilas 2329400 Vilas 2329800 Vilas 1843500 Vilas 2954500 Vilas 2339900 Vilas 2322200 Vilas 2317700 Vilas 2045000 Vilas 1880900 Vilas 1880700 Vilas 1872100 Vilas 1871800 Vilas 1861500 Vilas 1839100 Vilas 1837300 Vilas 1835200

1 1 1 1

1 1

1 1

1 1 1

1

1 1 1 1 1

1 1 1

1

1

1

1 1 1 1 1

1 1

1 1 1 1 1

1

1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1

13

Benedict Lake Vilas 971200 1

Stateline Lake

Vilas

2952100

1

Table 3. Existing lake data in and near the Penokee Range within approximately 15 miles of the mine site. “Limnology” refers to physical and chemical lake data including chlorophyll a, “Fish Hg” refers to mercury and other metals data analyzed in fish tissue, “Fish” includes abundance and size data of fish by species, and “Plant” refers to Point-Intercept aquatic plant surveys.

Lake

County

WBIC

Limnology

Fish Hg

Fish

Plant

Spillerberg Lake

Ashland

2936200

1

1

1

English Lake

Ashland

2914800

1

1

Mineral Lake

Ashland

2916900

1

1

1

1

Meder Lake

Ashland

2935300

1

1

Augustine Lake

Ashland

2410400

1

1

Lake Galilee

Ashland

2935500

1

1

1

Potter Lake

Ashland

2917200

1

1

Gile Flowage

Iron

2942300

1

1

1

Shine Lake

Iron

2928200

1

Lake Six

Iron

2294500

1

1

1

Weber Lake

Iron

2909000

1

1

Spillerberg Lake

Ashland

2936200

1

1

1

Table 4. Streams in Middle Tyler Forks Watershed (HUC 12 #040103020202) identified by stream name and waterbody identification code (WBIC) along with the respective length of the stream, number of access points surveyed, the number of fisheries surveys conducted, and respective trout classification.

HUC12 NAME

STREAM NAME

WBIC

LENGTH (MILES)

# of Access Points Surveyed

# of Surveys

Trout Classification

Middle Tyler Forks

Tyler Forks

2923100

9.8

Iron 7 Ashland 8

18 101

1&2 1&2

Middle Tyler Forks

Javorsky Creek

2924600

3.0

1

4

1

Middle Tyler Forks

Dunn Creek

2924700

1.7

1

1

3

Middle Tyler Forks

Erickson Creek

2924800

5.1

5

5

2

Middle Tyler Forks

Rouse Creek

2925000

2.3

3

8

3

Middle Tyler Forks

Unnamed

2925100

0.7

1

1

No Classification

Middle Tyler Forks

Mud Creek

2926000

3.7

4

4

2

Middle Tyler Forks

Unnamed

2926200

1.7

2

2

No Classification

Middle Tyler Forks

Unnamed

2926600

1.4

2

2

Pending

Middle Tyler Forks

Bull Gus Creek

2926700

2.5

1

3

3

Middle Tyler Forks

Unnamed

4000019

Pending

1

2

Pending

Table 5: Streams in Devils Creeks-Bad River Watershed (HUC12 #040103020304) identified by stream name and waterbody identification code (WBIC) along with the respective length of the stream, number of access points surveyed, the number of fisheries surveys conducted, and respective trout classification.

HUC12 NAME

STREAM NAME

WBIC

LENGTH (MILES)

# of Access Points Surveyed

# of Surveys

Trout Classification

14

Devils Creeks-Bad River

Devils Creek

2929300

6.9

8

21

1

Devils Creeks-Bad River

Montreal Creek

2929400

7.6

6

7

2

Devils Creeks-Bad River

Unnamed

2929600

1.7

1

2

No Classification

Devils Creeks-Bad River

Opergard Creek

2929700

3.8

1

1

2

Devils Creeks-Bad River

City Creek

2930100

3.1

5

9

2

Devils Creeks-Bad River

Unnamed

2930200

1.1

1

2

Pending

Devils Creeks-Bad River

Ballou Creek

2930700

3.6

3

9

1

Devils Creeks-Bad River

Unnamed

2930900

1.5

3

3

Pending

Devils Creeks-Bad River

Unnamed

5002727

0.2

2

2

No Classification

Table 6. The following table shows the trout stream classification status of streams and rivers in the two hydrologic units expected to be directly impacted by the proposed mine. Each waterbody is specifically identified by its water body identification code (WRIC).

15

HUC12 NAME

STREAM NAME

WBIC

LENGTH (MI LES)

# of Access Points Surveyed

# of Surveys

Devils Creeks-Bad River

Devils Creek

2929300

6.9

8

21

Devils Creeks-Bad River

Montreal Creek

2929400

7.6

6

7

Devils Creeks-Bad River

Unna med

2929500

1.0

No data

No data

Devils Creeks-Bad River

Unna med

2929600

1.7

1

2

Devils Creeks-Bad River

Opergard Creek

2929700

3.8

1

1

Devils Creeks-Bad River

Unna med

2929900

1.3

No data

No data

Devils Creeks-Bad River

Unna med

2930000

0.6

No data

No data

Devils Creeks-Bad River

City Creek

2930100

3.1

5

9

Devils Creeks-Bad River

Unna med

2930200

1.1

1

2

Devils Creeks-Bad River

Unna med

2930300

0.5

No data

No data

Devils Creeks-Bad River

Unna med

2930500

0.7

No data

No data

Devils Creeks-Bad River

Unna med

2930600

0.7

No data

No data

Devils Creeks-Bad River

Ballou Creek

2930700

3.6

3

9

Devils Creeks-Bad River

Unna med

2930800

2.0

No data

No data

Devils Creeks-Bad River

Unna med

2930900

1.5

3

3

Devils Creeks-Bad River

Unna med

2931200

0.2

No data

No data

Devils Creeks-Bad River

Unna med

5002496

0.8

No data

No data

Devils Creeks-Bad River

Unna med

5002507

0.7

No data

No data

Devils Creeks-Bad River

Unna med

5002548

0.5

No data

No data

Devils Creeks-Bad River

Unna med

5002566

0.5

No data

No data

Devils Creeks-Bad River

Unna med

5002610

0.2

No data

No data

Devils Creeks-Bad River

Unna med

5002612

0.5

No data

No data

Devils Creeks-Bad River

Unna med

5002653

0.4

No data

No data

Devils Creeks-Bad River

Unna med

5002661

0.8

No data

No data

Devils Creeks-Bad River

Unna med

5002664

0.9

No data

No data

Devils Creeks-Bad River

Unna med

5002669

0.5

No data

No data

Devils Creeks-Bad River

Unna med

5002672

0.0

No data

No data

Devils Creeks-Bad River

Unna med

5002676

0.6

No data

No data

Devils Creeks-Bad River

Unna med

5002682

0.4

No data

No data

Devils Creeks-Bad River

Unna med

5002684

0.1

No data

No data

Devils Creeks-Bad River

Unna med

5002695

0.5

No data

No data

Devils Creeks-Bad River

Unna med

5002698

0.1

No data

No data

Devils Creeks-Bad River

Unna med

5002711

0.5

No data

No data

Devils Creeks-Bad River

Unna med

5002713

0.6

No data

No data

Devils Creeks-Bad River

Unna med

5002727

0.2

2

2

Devils Creeks-Bad River

Unna med

5002739

0.0

No data

No data

Devils Creeks-Bad River

Unna med

5002747

0.1

No data

No data

Devils Creeks-Bad River

Unna med

5002749

0.5

No data

No data

Devils Creeks-Bad River

Unna med

5002757

0.7

No data

No data

Devils Creeks-Bad River

Unna med

5002761

0.8

No data

No data

Devils Creeks-Bad River

Unna med

5002762

0.9

No data

No data

Devils Creeks-Bad River

Unna med

5002765

1.0

No data

No data

Devils Creeks-Bad River

Unna med

5002767

0.3

No data

No data

Devils Creeks-Bad River

Unna med

5002768

0.7

No data

No data

Devils Creeks-Bad River

Unna med

5002771

0.7

No data

No data

Devils Creeks-Bad River

Unna med

5002774

0.7

No data

No data

Devils Creeks-Bad River

Unna med

5002783

0.3

No data

No data

Devils Creeks-Bad River

Unna med

5002785

0.6

No data

No data

Devils Creeks-Bad River

Unna med

5002798

0.1

No data

No data

Devils Creeks-Bad River

Unna med

5002799

0.2

No data

No data

Devils Creeks-Bad River

Unna med

5002802

0.3

No data

No data

Trout Classification

1

2

No Classification No Classification 2

No Classification No Classification 2 Pending

No Classification No Classification No Classification 1

No Classification Pending

No Classification No Classification No Classification No Classification No Classification No Classification No Classification No Classification No Classification No Classification No Classification No Classification No Classification No Classification No Classification No Classification No Classification No Classification No Classification No Classification No Classification No Classification No Classification No Classification No Classification No Classification No Classification No Classification No Classification No Classification No Classification No Classification No Classification No Classification No Classification No Classification

16

Middle Tyler Forks

Middle Tyler Forks

Middle Tyler Forks

Middle Tyler Forks

Middle Tyler Forks

Middle Tyler Forks

Middle Tyler Forks

Middle Tyler Forks

Middle Tyler Forks

Middle Tyler Forks

Middle Tyler Forks

Middle Tyler Forks

Middle Tyler Forks

Middle Tyler Forks

Middle Tyler Forks

Middle Tyler Forks

Middle Tyler Forks

Middle Tyler Forks

Middle Tyler Forks

Middle Tyler Forks

Middle Tyler Forks

Middle Tyler Forks

Middle Tyler Forks

Middle Tyler Forks

Middle Tyler Forks

Middle Tyler Forks

Middle Tyler Forks

Middle Tyler Forks

Middle Tyler Forks

Middle Tyler Forks

Middle Tyler Forks

Middle Tyler Forks

Middle Tyler Forks

Middle Tyler Forks

Middle Tyler Forks

Middle Tyler Forks

Middle Tyler Forks

Middle Tyler Forks

Middle Tyler Forks

Middle Tyler Forks

Middle Tyler Forks

Middle Tyler Forks

Middle Tyler Forks

Middle Tyler Forks

Middle Tyler Forks

Middle Tyler Forks

Middle Tyler Forks

Middle Tyler Forks

Middle Tyler Forks

Middle Tyler Forks

Middle Tyler Forks

Dunn Creek

Erickson Creek

Unna med

Rouse Creek

Unna med

Unna med

Unna med

Unna med

Unna med

Unna med

Unna med

Unna med

Mead Creek

Mud Creek

Unna med

Unna med

Unna med

Unna med

Unna med

Bull Gus Creek

Unna med

Unna med

Unna med

Unna med

Unna med

Unna med

Unna med

Unna med

Unna med

Unna med

Unna med

Unna med

Unna med

Unna med

Unna med

Unna med

Unna med

Unna med

Unna med

Unna med

Unna med

Unna med

Unna med

Unna med

Unna med

Unna med

Unna med

Unna med

Unna med

Unna med

Unna med

2924700

2924800

2924900

2925000

2925100

2925200

2925300

2925400

2925500

2925600

2925700

2925800

2925900

2926000

2926100

2926200

2926300

2926500

2926600

2926700

2926800

2926900

2927000

4000019

5002426

5002442

5002444

5002491

5002514

5002560

5002571

5002574

5002587

5002590

5002596

5002602

5002607

5002609

5002617

5002618

5002631

5002634

5002657

5002666

5002678

5002725

5002740

5002769

5002782

5002793

5002823

* Some surveys are from historical downloads that are incomplete or do not contain fisheries data.

LENGTH (MI LES)

1.7

5.1

0.6

2.3

0.7

1.1

1.4

1.1

1.1

0.7

2.2

0.9

3.1

3.7

0.6

1.7

0.7

0.9

1.4

2.5

1.1

1.5

0.0

Pending

0.8

0.5

0.4

0.3

0.1

1.7

0.8

0.9

0.7

0.5

0.2

0.6

0.6

0.3

0.2

0.9

0.3

0.5

0.3

0.3

0.3

0.6

1.0

17

0.7

0.2

0.4

1.4

5

No data

3

1

No data

No data

No data

No data

No data

No data

No data

No data

4

No data

2

No data

No data

2

1

No data

No data

No data

1

No data

No data

No data

No data

No data

No data

No data

No data

No data

No data

No data

No data

No data

No data

No data

No data

No data

No data

No data

No data

No data

No data

No data

No data

No data

No data

No data

# of Surveys

5

No data

8

1

No data

No data

No data

No data

No data

No data

No data

No data

4

No data

2

No data

No data

2

3

No data

No data

No data

2

No data

No data

No data

No data

No data

No data

No data

No data

No data

No data

No data

No data

No data

No data

No data

No data

No data

No data

No data

No data

No data

No data

No data

No data

No data

No data

No data

Trout Classification

HUC12 NAME

Middle Tyler Forks

Middle Tyler Forks

STREAM NAME

Tyler Forks

Javorsky Creek

WBIC

2924600

9.8

3.0

# of Access Points Surveyed

2923100

Iron 7 Ashland 8

1

1

18 101*

4

1

1&2 1&2

1

3

2

No Classification

3

No Classification

No Classification

No Classification

No Classification

No Classification

No Classification

No Classification

No Classification

2

2

No Classification

No Classification

No Classification

No Classification

Pending

3

No Classification

No Classification

No Classification

Pending

No Classification

No Classification

No Classification

No Classification

No Classification

No Classification

No Classification

No Classification

No Classification

No Classification

No Classification

No Classification

No Classification

No Classification

No Classification

No Classification

No Classification

No Classification

No Classification

No Classification

No Classification

No Classification

No Classification

No Classification

No Classification

No Classification

No Classification

Groundwater and Drinking Water Information and Resources

1. Water Supply Well Construction Reports [available on CD from Dept. upon request]

2. Groundwater quality sampling results from Groundwater Retrieval Network (GRN)

System [available on spreadsheet from Dept. upon request]

3. Pre-1988 Water Supply Well Construction Reports [available on web at DATCP

website http://datcpgis.wi.gov/WellLogs/ ]

4. Groundwater quality sampling results from UW-Stevens Point database system

[available on web at UW-Stevens Point website https://www.uwsp.edu/cnr-

ap/watershed/Pages/wellwaterviewer.aspx ]

5. USGS 2004 Wisconsin Bedrock Map [available on the web at:

http://mrdata.usgs.gov/geology/state/state.php?state=WI ]

6. USGS National Water Quality Information System - Wisconsin groundwater level

monitoring and groundwater quality sampling results [available on the web at:

http://maps.waterdata.usgs.gov/mapper/index.html ]

7. USGS National Water Quality Information System – Iron County, WI groundwater

level monitoring and groundwater quality sampling results [available on the web at: http://maps.waterdata.usgs.gov/mapper/nwisquery.html?URL=http://nwis.waterdata. usgs.gov/wi/nwis/gwlevels?county_cd=55051&format=sitefile_output&sitefile_outp ut_format=xml&column_name=agency_cd&column_name=site_no&column_name= station_nm&date_format=YYYY-MM- DD&rdb_compression=file&list_of_search_criteria=county_cd&column_name=site_ tp_cd&column_name=dec_lat_va&column_name=dec_long_va&column_name=age ncy_use_cd

8. WGNHS publications related to geology/hydrogeology of Northern WI [listed on web at: http://wisconsingeologicalsurvey.org/pdfs/loppdf/lop08.pdf ]

9. USGS 2008 Professional Paper #1730 The Gogebic Iron Range – A Sample of the Northern Margin of the Penokean Fold and Thrust Belt [available on the web at: http://pubs.usgs.gov/pp/pp1730/pdf/PP1730.pdf ]

10. Minnesota Dept. of Natural Resources 2008 paper titled Sources and Fate of Sulfate in Minnesota Watersheds - A Minerals Coordinating Committee Progress Report [available on the web at: http://www.miningminnesota.com/uploads/SO4paperProgReport_7_2008__3_.pdf ]

11. USGS 2002 Water-Resources Investigation Report 02-4198 titled Characterization of Ground-Water Flow Between the Canisteo Mine Pit and Surrounding Aquifers, Mesabi Iron Range, Minnesota [available on the web at: http://pubs.usgs.gov/wri/wri024198/pdf/wri024198.pdf ]

Forestry

The department maintains a variety of information concerning the nature of County Forest lands in the state. Some of this information may be used to evaluate the environmental impact of the project and to expedite the preparation of County Forest Withdrawal documents and the environmental impact report and the environmental impact statement.

The department maintains a forest reconnaissance database that contains forest attributes at a stand level in conjunction with a spatial GIS representation of those stands, for the lands enrolled as Iron County Forest. This forest reconnaissance data has been collected by Iron County and department forestry staff and is of varying ages and has varying levels of detail by stand. The attributes that are included for all stands are: stand number, exam date, primary forest type, acres,

18

invasive level, soil type, and management objective. The database also has some conditionally required and optional fields that include: primary size class (forested types), primary density (forested types), year of origin (even-aged forest types), total height (even-aged forest types), mean stand diameter (forested types), site index (even-aged forest types), total basal area (forested types if poles or saw-timber), total volume cords & board feet (forested types if poles or saw-timber), primary tree species information (forested types, listing the first major tree species and its associated basal area and volume), planned management prescription (forested types), invasive species and density, and potentially a management treatment if scheduled (type, treatment purpose, and forester year of treatment).

Managed Forest Land Information and Resources

The department has maps of the lands that were submitted by the landowner at the time of enrollment in the MFL program. The maps show landscape features, such as roads, lakes, streams, timber types, and other vegetation types. The actual forest reconnaissance data is owed and maintained by the landowner and/or the landowner’s agents.

Wildlife

The Gogebic-Penokee Range is considered an Important Bird Area (IBA) and a Conservation Opportunity Area (COA) for wildlife species of greatest conservation need. This is because it features large blocks of forest containing a majority of older forest. These forests provide an opportunity to manage for the mature to older age classes. Areas feature a continuum of an extensive matrix of older northern hardwood forest with imbedded lakes, wetlands, and bedrock including Northern Mesic Forest, Northern Dry-Mesic Forest, Northern Wet-Mesic Forest, Northern Wet Forest, Open Bog, Muskeg, Northern Hardwood Swamp, Northern Sedge Meadow, and Bedrock Glades.

The Gogebic-Penokee Range COA can support several species of greatest conservation need including Boreal Chorus Frog, Four-toed Salamander, Mink Frog, Pickerel Frog, Wood Turtle, American Bittern, Black-backed Woodpecker, Black Tern, Black-throated Blue Warbler, Bobolink, Boreal Chickadee, Canada Warbler, Connecticut Warbler, Golden-winged Warbler (bog edges and stream corridors), Least Flycatcher, Northern Goshawk, Northern Harrier, Olive- sided Flycatcher, Red-shouldered Hawk, Rusty Blackbird, Solitary Sandpiper, Sharp-tailed Grouse, Spruce Grouse, Veery, Wood Thrush, American Marten, Eastern Red Bat, Gray Wolf, Hoary Bat, Moose, Northern Long-eared Bat, Northern Flying Squirrel, Silver-haired Bat, Water Shrew, Woodland Jumping Mouse, Bog Fritillary, Frigga Fritillary, Freija Fritillary, Harris Checkerspot, Red-disked Alpine, Jutta Arctic, Brown Elfin, West Virginia White, and Laurentian Skipper.

Not all of the species of greatest conservation need are found within the proposed mining site and not the entire site is located within the COA. However the Gogebic-Penokee Range has the potential to host these species as well as many other common species. Following is a list of what the department considers high-profile wildlife species that are known to be found in or near the proposed mining site.

Deer (Odocoileus virginanus)

The proposed mining site is located within deer management unit 28. The department does not have specific data for the proposed site but as a whole unit 28 can only support a moderate deer population based on habitat. Hunting pressure is low with an opening day density of about 6 hunters per square mile. Buck harvest ranges from 1 to 2 harvested per square mile. It is expected

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that harvest numbers and opening day pressure would be even lower in the proposed mining site location.

There are no known deer yards within the boundary of the proposed mining site however there are 2 deer yards within a mile of the site and 3 additional deer yards within 3 miles of the site. There are travel corridors within the proposed mining site boundary in which deer use to move to these deer yards as part of their winter range. The map below contains approximate locations. Please note that boundary lines are estimated and do not represent exact boundary lines.

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Black Bear (Ursus americanas)

There is good bear range located within the proposed mining site as well as a healthy and stable bear population in the area. This area is hunted with both hound dogs and bait hunters. It is possible that hound dogs will run through the closed area if released on county land nearby creating potential conflict.

Bobcat (Lynx rufus)

There are bobcats throughout the proposed mining site however they are more common in other areas of the county. Because the bobcat does not depend exclusively on the deep forest it is more typically found in lowland areas, agricultural areas, or swamps near forested tracts outside the proposed mining site.

Gray Wolf (Canis lupus)

There is one wolf pack that’s territory is located within the proposed mining site. There are three additional packs within the nearby area. Mining could impact the wolves’ territory and they may be forced to create a new home range. The most likely area where they would move to would be to the west near the city of Mellen potentially increasing wolf-human conflict.

American Marten (Martes americana)

The American marten is Wisconsin’s only endangered mammal. Its range encompasses the proposed mining site.

Bald Eagle (Haliaeetus leucocephalus)

Eagle nests have been found within the area nearby the proposed mining site.

Northern Goshawk (Accipiter gentilis)

Northern goshawk is a species of special concern and has been found in Iron and Ashland counties.

Wood Turtle (Glyptemys insculpta)

The wood turtle is a state threatened species and has been observed within the nearby area of the proposed mining site.

Available Bird Survey Data

The department collects and maintains a variety of data from internal and public sources regarding avian species composition and distribution that may be valuable. In particular, there was a bird survey completed in 2006 for an area just east of the proposed project area close to the town of Iron Belt. Data from that survey describes avian habitats available, species observed, and protection recommendations for the area.

Other Sources of Information

• United States Geological Survey maintains stream flow data and lake level data

• North Temperate Lakes Long Term Ecological Research site (University of Wisconsin

Madison) monitors lakes in Vilas County

• Bad River Watershed Association

• Northland College

• Bad River Tribe

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• Iron County Land Conservation Department

• Ashland County Land Conservation Department

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