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2.0 PRECIPITATION <br />Precipitation data presented on Table P and Charts P1 and P2 is predominantly from the NOAA <br />station in Uravan, Colorado, 10.5 miles to the northwest of the mine. Due to a technical issue witrh the <br />precipitation station, data from 2016 was unavailable at the Uravan site, prompting a weather data <br />transformation from a site in Gateway, Colorado. The data transformation utilized a conversion factor <br />derived from a ratio of monthly average precipitation between the two sites for years 2006 to 2015. Due <br />to the spatial variability of precipitation and the inherent flaws associated with measurements of <br />precipitation at specific locations, the transformed data can be utilized in the manner all weather data <br />should be viewed, as an indicator of general trends. <br />Precipitation for the 2015/2016 growing season (June 2015 through May 2016 was determined to be <br />129% of average when compared to the 11 -year average (16.53 in. vs. 12.79 in.). Perusal of Chart P2 <br />indicates that 2015 summer precipitation was above average with 3.74 inches — 109% of the 11 -year <br />average for the same period. The following seasons, autumn of 2015 and winter of 2016, were also <br />above average with 5.06 and 3.17 inches, respectively (133% and 113% of average, respectively). <br />Finally, in spring of 2016, the most important season to vegetative growth, the precipitation was 4.56 <br />inches (165% of average). For revegetation communities relying on precipitation (Dryland Pasture at <br />New Horizon), the 2015/2016 precipitation would yield above average vegetation production and vigor. <br />However, the remaining post -mining vegetation communities at New Horizon (Irrigated Pasture and <br />Irrigated Cropland) receive irrigation. More information on the irrigation can be found in the 2016 Annual <br />Reclamation Report. <br />5 <br />