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USDA Forest Service
1400 Independence Avenue SW
Washington, D.C.
20250-0003
(202) 205-8333

Wheeler Peak Wilderness






General Information

Image of Wheeler Peak Wilderness

State(s): New Mexico

County(s): Taos

Forest Service Administrative Unit(s):
Southwest Region (Region 3) -- Carson National Forest

Size: 19661 acres

Elevation Range: 7,840 - 13,161 feet

Image(s): http://www.wilderness.net/images/

Detailed wilderness information: http://www.wilderness.net

GIS Map/Official Boundary: http://www.wilderness.net/NWPS/

Webcam(s): Wheeler Peak - Wheeler Peak Vista (Gallery), Wheeler Peak - Lucero Vista (Gallery)

Data: 
  Links





Resource Concern Thresholds

AQRV Type: VISIBILITY
Sensitive Receptor Sensitive Receptor Indicator Thresholds
Natural Visibilty In specific Class I areas to maintain consistency with Regional Haze implementation plans or BART, the visibility threshold for concern is not exceeded if the 98th %ile change in light extinction is <5% for each year modeled, when compared to the 20% best natural background values.
Natural Visibilty For sources generally further than 50 km from a Class I area, the visibility threshold for concern is not exceeded if the 98th %ile change in light extinction is <5% for each year modeled, when compared to the annual average natural condition value for that Class I area.
Plume Blight Absolute Contrast For near field sources (within 50 km of a Class I area), no additional analysis will be requested If screening analysis of a new or modified source can demonstrate that its emissions will not cause a plume with hourly estimates of DeltaE (color difference index) greater than or equal to 2.0 or the absolute value of the contrast greater than or equal to 0.05 when modeled against natural conditions.
Plume Blight Absolute Contrast Higher level near-field screening and refined analysis: no further analysis will likely be requested if a new or modified source can show that impacts from a new or modified source will stay with the threshold of DeltaE <1.0 and |C| <0.02 modeled against natural conditions.
Plume Blight Color Difference Index Plume blight near-field refined analysis: no further analysis will likely be requested if a new or modified source can show that impacts from a new or modified source will stay with the threshold of DeltaE <1.0 and |C| <0.02 when modeled against natural conditions.
Plume Blight Color Difference Index For near field sources (within 50 km of a Class I area), no additional analysis will be requested If screening analysis of a new or modified source can demonstrate that its emissions will not cause a plume with hourly estimates of DeltaE (color difference index) greater than or equal to 2.0 or the absolute value of the contrast greater than or equal to 0.05 when modeled against natural conditions.

AQRV Type: WATER
Sensitive Receptor Sensitive Receptor Indicator Thresholds
Cirque Lakes Acid Neutralizing Capacity For cirque lakes that have a baseline Acid Neutralizing Capacity of 200-400 ueq/l, no more than a 10% decrease in ANC is acceptable.
Cirque Lakes Acid Neutralizing Capacity For cirque lakes that have a baseline Acid Neutralizing Capacity of <200 ueq/l, no decrease in ANC is acceptable.
Cirque Lakes Base Cations No decrease in the base cations in cirque lakes is acceptable.
Cirque Lakes Cation Exchange Capacity No decrease in the cation exchange capacity of cirque lakes is acceptable.
Cirque Lakes Conductivity No change in the conductivity of cirque lakes is acceptable.
Cirque Lakes Trace Metals No increase in the trace metals found in cirque lakes is acceptable.
Cirque Lakes pH For cirque lakes that have a baseline pH of >7.0, no more than a 0.5 decrease in pH is acceptable.
Cirque Lakes pH For cirque lakes that have a baseline pH of <6.6, no decrease in pH is acceptable.
Cirque Lakes pH For cirque lakes that have a baseline pH of 6.6-7.0, no more than a 0.1 decrease in pH is acceptable.
Cloud Water Acid Neutralizing Capacity For cloud water that has a baseline Acid Neutralizing Capacity of <200 ueq/l, no decrease in ANC is acceptable.
Cloud Water Acid Neutralizing Capacity For cloud water that has a baseline Acid Neutralizing Capacity of 200-400 ueq/l, no more than a 10% decrease in ANC is acceptable.
Cloud Water Base Cations No decrease in the base cations in cloud water is acceptable.
Cloud Water Cation Exchange Capacity No change in the cation exchange capacity of cloud water is acceptable.
Cloud Water Conductivity No change in the conductivity of cloud water is acceptable.
Cloud Water Trace Metals No increase in the trace metals found in cloud water is acceptable.
Cloud Water pH For cloud water that has a baseline pH of >7.0, no more than a 0.5 decrease in pH is acceptable.
Cloud Water pH For cloud water that has a baseline pH of 6.6-7.0, no more than a 0.1 decrease in pH is acceptable.
Cloud Water pH For cloud water that has a baseline pH of <6.6, no decrease in pH is acceptable.
Headwater Systems Acid Neutralizing Capacity For headwater systems that have a baseline Acid Neutralizing Capacity of 200-400 ueq/l, no more than a 10% decrease in ANC is acceptable.
Headwater Systems Acid Neutralizing Capacity For headwater systems that have a baseline Acid Neutralizing Capacity of <200 ueq/l, no decrease in ANC is acceptable.
Headwater Systems Base Cations No decrease in the base cations in headwater systems is acceptable.
Headwater Systems Cation Exchange Capacity No change in the cation exchange capacity of headwater systems is acceptable.
Headwater Systems Conductivity No change in the conductivity of headwater systems is acceptable.
Headwater Systems Trace Metals No increase in the trace metals found in headwater systems is acceptable.
Headwater Systems pH For headwater systems that have a baseline pH of <6.6, no decrease in pH is acceptable.
Headwater Systems pH For headwater systems that have a baseline pH of >7.0, no more than a 0.5 decrease in pH is acceptable.
Headwater Systems pH For headwater systems that have a baseline pH of 6.6-7.0, no more than a 0.1 decrease in pH is acceptable.
Water Chemistry Acid Neutralizing Capacity For waters that have a baseline Acid Neutralizing Capacity of 200-400 ueq/l, no more than a 10% decrease in ANC is acceptable.
Water Chemistry Acid Neutralizing Capacity For waters that have a baseline Acid Neutralizing Capacity of <200 ueq/l, no decrease in ANC is acceptable.
Water Chemistry Base Cations No decrease in water chemistry base cations is acceptable.
Water Chemistry Conductivity No change in water chemistry conductivity is acceptable.
Water Chemistry pH For waters that have a baseline pH of >7.0, no more than a 0.5 decrease in pH is acceptable.
Water Chemistry pH For waters that have a baseline pH of <6.6, no decrease in pH is acceptable.
Water Chemistry pH For waters that have a baseline pH of 6.6-7.0, no more than a 0.1 decrease in pH is acceptable.

Pollutant Exposure Concern Thresholds

Pollutant Exposures Level Name Thresholds
Nitrogen EXCEEDANCE The Deposition Analysis Threshold for nitrogen deposition below which estimated impacts from a source are considered negligible is 0.005 kg/ha/yr. kilograms/hectare/year.
Q (Sum of SO2+NOx+PM10+H2SO4) QOverD For new or modified sources locating greater than 50 km from a Class I area, its impacts will be considered negligible with respect to Class I AQRVs if its total SO2, NOx, PM10, and H2SO4 annual emissions in tons/yr, based on 24-hr maximum allowable emissions, divided by the distance (km ) from the Class I area (Q/D) is 10 or less. For sources operating less than a year, the emissions must be adjusted to reflect what the emissions would be if the source operated year-round.
Sulfur EXCEEDANCE The Deposition Analysis Threshold for sulfur deposition below which estimated impacts from a source are considered negligible is 0.005 kg/ha/yr.
CHANGE Higher level near-field screening and refined analysis: no further analysis will likely be requested if a new or modified source can show that impacts from a new or modified source will stay with the threshold of DeltaE <1.0 and |C| <0.02 modeled against natural conditions.
EXCEEDANCE For near field sources (within 50 km of a Class I area), no additional analysis will be requested If screening analysis of a new or modified source can demonstrate that its emissions will not cause a plume with hourly estimates of DeltaE (color difference index) greater than or equal to 2.0 or the absolute value of the contrast greater than or equal to 0.05 when modeled against natural conditions.
CHANGE For near field sources (within 50 km of a Class I area), no additional analysis will be requested If screening analysis of a new or modified source can demonstrate that its emissions will not cause a plume with hourly estimates of DeltaE (color difference index) greater than or equal to 2.0 or the absolute value of the contrast greater than or equal to 0.05 when modeled against natural conditions.
CHANGE Plume blight near-field refined analysis: no further analysis will likely be requested if a new or modified source can show that impacts from a new or modified source will stay with the threshold of DeltaE <1.0 and |C| <0.02 when modeled against natural conditions.
EXTINCTION For sources generally further than 50 km from a Class I area, the visibility threshold for concern is not exceeded if the 98th %ile change in light extinction is <5% for each year modeled, when compared to the annual average natural condition value for that Class I area.
EXTINCTION In specific Class I areas to maintain consistency with Regional Haze implementation plans or BART, the visibility threshold for concern is not exceeded if the 98th %ile change in light extinction is <5% for each year modeled, when compared to the 20% best natural background values.

Natural Background Visibility

Site Specific Rayleigh scattering coefficient: 8 Clearest 20% Natural Clearest 20% 2000-2004 Baseline Haziest 20% Natural Haziest 20% 2000-2004 Baseline Average Annual Natural Annual Average 2000-2004 Baseline
Standard Visual Range (km) 342 294 192 129 267 199
Haze Index (dv) -.57 1.22 6.08 10.41 2.34 5.67
For more information on these numbers, click here.

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