of special concern, strong emphasis should be placed on selecting 

 an economical site. Factors influencing this decision include: 



a. Amount of site preparation and rehabilitation required. For 

 instance, it is desirable to minimize: 



• Haul distance to project site 



• Vegetation and overburden removal 



• River-training structures and bank protection devices 



• Length of access route 



• Crossing of active drainage or channels 



b. Matching site operational requirements to available equipment 



c. Ability to work the site in a dry condition 



4. Dec i s i on 4 - Other Environmental Criteria 



If at this point two or more sites are suitable, then the following 

 environmental factors should be considered in final site selection: 



a. Minimize disturbance to fish and wildlife habitats. For ex- 

 ample, if sufficient gravel deposits are available elsewhere, 

 active or high-water channels and vegetated habitats should be 

 avoi ded. 



b. Minimize disturbance to local visual and scenic quality. For 

 example, locate sites in areas away from public view or where 

 they will be least visible; insofar as possible select loca- 

 tions that wi I I al low one to preserve the character of the 

 area. 



14 



I. IDENTIFICATION OF SUITABLE SITES 



