Mr. Doug Baker, states the project purpose is to produce commercial quantities of precious metals from alluvial deposits on patented land. The applicant proposes to recover precious metals from alluvial deposits in previously mined ground and in unmined wetlands on patented mining claims owned by Aurquest Alaska, Incorporated. The project is located along Otter Creek near Nome, Alaska. Proposed work includes the phased placer mining of approximately 17 acres of historically mined uplands (mined 1903-1911), and the mechanized land clearing of approximately 60 acres of Palustrine Emergent Persistent Saturated/Scrub-Shrub Broad-Leaved Deciduous Saturated wetlands (PEM1/SS1B). Additional work includes the construction of two settling ponds (sized 80 feet wide x 80 feet long x 1.5 feet deep and 450 feet long x 150 feet wide x 8 feet deep). Plans also include the construction of an approximately 2,000 linear feet x 11 feet wide x 2 feet deep with a floodplain of approximately 32 feet wide permanent stream relocation of Otter Creek. The stream relocation will act to stabilize the stream and to reconnect it to the natural floodplain which was ditched during the1904 gold rush. The project site is located within Section 21 T. 11 S., R. 33 W., Kateel Meridian; USGS Quad Map Nome C-1; Latitude 64.5205º N., Longitude165.2915º W.; located along Beam Road, approximately 3.5 miles from Nome, Alaska. Please contact Laurel Gale at (907) 458-1601, or by email at: Laurel.A.Gale@usace.army.mil if further information is desired concerning this notice.
POA-2017-00528, Otter Creek_PN