2000-04-24_REVISION - C1981008 - Laserfiche WebLink

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Ground water within 150 feet of the ground surface has been only minimally developed for use in the Nucla area. High salinities and occasionally high sodium or sulfate concentrations preclude its use as domestic, agricultural or stock water. In addition, moderate hydraulic conductivities are coupled with low sustained well yields (less than 1.5 gpm), discouraging sustained dependence on wells completed within these aquifers. soils There are three major soils types at the New Horizon Mine 2 area (see Soils Map of the permit application): Progresso-Bond Complex, 2 to 15 percent slopes; Barx sandy loam, 1 to 4 percent slopes; and Haplaquolls, 1 to 3 percent slopes. The Progresso-Bond complex is comprised of 40 percent Progresso, 40 percent Bond, 10 percent Barx (see below), 5 percent Travesilla, and 5 percent Bowdish series soils. The Progresso series is classified as a fine-loamy, mixed, mesic, Ustollic Haplargid. The Bond series is a loamy, mixed, mesic Lithic Ustollic Haplargid. The main difference between these two is the distance to bedrock; Bond soils are shallow (17 to 19 inches to bedrock) while Progresso soils are fairly deep (36 inches to bedrock). This complex is found on gently to strongly sloping irrigated uplands over much of the New Horizon Mine 2 area. The soils are shallow to moderately deep, well drained sandy loams formed in sandstone derived alluvium. Topsoil quality is good to an average depth of 2.1 feet. The Barx soil is found in the southeast comer of the New Horizon Mine 2 permit area. It is classified as a fine-loamy, mixed, mesic Ustollic Haplargid. It is a deep, well drained sandy loam formed in sandstone derived alluvium. Part of this soil unit (about 15 acres) has been historically used for hay production, is irrigated with a dependable water supply, and was reclaimed as prime farmland but was recently declassified as prime farrland by the USDA - NRCS (Natural Resources Conservation Service). The ephemeral drainages of the New Horizon Mine 2 area contain three families of Haplaquoll soils; Lithic,Lithic/Typic, and Typic Haplaquolls. The loamy, mixed, mesic, Lithic Haplaquolls are found in the upper reaches of the swales in the area and are the shallowest of the three series (bedrock at 11 inches). Lithic/Typic Haplaquolls (coarse-loamy, mixed, mesic, moderately deep Typic Haplaquolls) are found in the mid to lower reaches of the swales and exhibit good quality soil to a depth of about 24 inches. The Fine-loamy, mixed, mesic, deep Typic Haplaquolls are found in the lower reaches of the swales and along Calamity Draw. These soils have sandy loam and loam textures to a depth of about four feet with sandy clay loam below that. The soils were classified as Haplaquolls because of soil wetness. However, this diagnostic factor is artificially induced because of irrigation water. The soils were formed in the alluvium of the swales. Fair to good quality topsoil exists in the Swale areas in thicknesses from 1.2 to over 4 feet. In association with Permit Revision No. 5 (PR-05), a new soil survey encompassing approximately 376 acres to the northwest of the previously approved New Horizon 2 permit area was conducted. The Order I survey was conducted in 1998. Map unit designations differ from previous surveys due to recent changes in NRCS soil taxonomy. Dominant map units identified in the 1998 survey include Bowbac-Bowdish Complex, 0 to 3% slope, Darvey-Barx complex, 0 to 3% slope, and c