Abandoned tailings impoundment at Waco Subsite, Cherokee County, KS. Jan. 29, 2004. Photo taken by John Miesner/USFWS.

Tailings washed from impoundment at Waco Subsite, Cherokee County, KS. Jan. 29, 2004. Photo taken by John Miesner/USFWS.

Tailings impoundment, Crestline Subsite, Cherokee County, KS. Dike has been breached (center background) allowing movement of tailings from the impoundment. Jan. 30, 2004. Photo taken by John Miesner/USFWS.

Tailings impoundment dike failure, Waco Subsite, Cherokee County, KS. Jan. 29, 2004. Photo taken by John Miesner/USFWS.

Tailings wash out at the Waco Subsite, Cherokee County, KS. Jan. 29, 2004. Photo taken by John Miesner/USFWS.

Example of Native Prairie Hay Meadow with diversity of vegetation, Cherokee County, KS. Nov. 6, 2003. Photo taken by John Miesner/USFWS.

Chat, Crestline Subsite, Cherokee County, KS. Jan. 30, 2004. Photo taken by John Miesner/USFWS.

Water erosion through chat pile, Lawton Subsite, Cherokee County, KS. Jan. 29, 2004. Photo taken by John Miesner/USFWS.

Bull rock pile, location of shaft during previous mining at Waco Subsite, Cherokee County, KS. Jan. 29, 2004. Photo taken by John Miesner/USFWS.

Man made farm pond north of Waco Subsite, Cherokee County, KS. Jan. 29, 2004. Photo taken by John Miesner/USFWS.

Surficial runoff control structure, Waco Subsite, Cherokee County, KS. Jan. 29, 2004. Photo taken by John Miesner/USFWS.

Wet subsidence pond formed by two separate collapses in the upper left and lower right of picture. Waco Subsite, Cherokee County, KS. Jan. 29, 2004. Photo taken by John Miesner/USFWS.

Wet subsidence pond formed by three separate collapses, upper left, center right, and lower left. Waco Subsite, Cherokee County, KS. Jan. 29, 2004. Photo taken by John Miesner/USFWS.

State line subsidence pond, Waco Subsite, Cherokee County, KS. Dry area in center of pond indicates the location of mine-supports that divides the pond on the KS-MO state line. Jan. 29, 2004. Photo taken by John Miesner/USFWS.

Dry subsidence now being used as a trash-dump site, Crestline Subsite, Cherokee County, KS. Jan. 30, 2004. Photo taken by John Miesner/USFWS.

Frozen subsidence pond. Part of the shaft accessing the mine is visible at the far waterline. The faults which created this subsidence, are visible on either side of the shaft. Crestline Subsite, Cherokee County, KS. Jan. 30, 2004. Photo taken by John Miesner/USFWS.

Spring River at low flow, Badger Subsite, Cherokee County, KS. Jan. 30, 2004. Photo taken by John Miesner/USFWS.

Spring River at low flow, Badger Subsite, Cherokee County, KS. Jan. 30, 2004. Photo taken by John Miesner/USFWS

Concrete blocks are the remains of an abandoned mill site, Crestline Subsite, Cherokee County, KS. Jan. 30, 2004. Photo taken by John Miesner/USFWS.

Wheat growing (right background) next to barren tailings impoundment, Crestline Subsite, Cherokee County, KS. Jan. 30, 2004. Photo taken by John Miesner/USFWS.

Exploratory mine with waste rock pile. Area of disturbance is location of trees, Lawton Subsite, Cherokee County, KS. Jan. 29, 2004. Photo taken by John Miesner/USFWS.

Farm land with winter wheat surrounding exploratory mine with waste rock pile, Lawton Subsite, Cherokee County, KS. Jan. 29, 2004. Photo taken by John Miesner/USFWS.