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24 inches. The fine -loamy, mixed, mesic, deep Typic Haplaquolls are found in the lower reaches <br />of the swales and along Calamity Draw. These soils have sandy loam and loam textures to a depth <br />of about four feet with sandy clay loam below that. The soils were classified as Haplaquolls <br />because of soil wetness. However, this diagnostic factor is artificially induced because of <br />irrigation water. The soils were formed in the alluvium of the swales. Fair to good quality topsoil <br />exists in the swale areas in thickness from 1.2 to over 4 feet. <br />A second soil survey was conducted in 1995 that covered approximately 106 acres located south <br />of BB Road and immediately east of 2700 Road. The area surveyed is delineated on Map 2.04.9- <br />1. Major soil groups encountered were Progresso -Bond Complex, 2 to 8 percent slopes (map unit <br />30C -A) and Progresso Sandy Loam (map unit 30C -A-1). Of the area surveyed, 100.7 acres were <br />incorporated into the permit under Permit Revision No. 4 (PR -4). <br />In association with Permit Revision No. 5 (PR -5), a new soil survey encompassing approximately <br />442 acres to the north and west of the previously approved permit area was conducted. The Order <br />1 survey was conducted in 1998. Map unit designations differ from previous surveys due to <br />changes made in NRCS soil taxonomy. Map 2.04.9-1 delineates the soil mapping units associated <br />with the various surveys. Dominant map units identified in the 1998 survey include Bowbac- <br />Bowdish Complex, 0 to 3% slopes, Darvey-Bari complex, 0 to 3% slopes, and Monierco Fine <br />Sandy Loam, 0 to 10% slopes, and Haplargids — Endoaquepts association, 0 to 3 percent slopes. <br />The Bowbac-Bowdish and Darvey-Bari complex units were used primarily for irrigated hayland <br />or pastureland. The Darvey-Bari complex (Mapping Unit 98E) dominates that portion of the PR - <br />5 expanded permit area located south of BB Road and west of 2700 road. As discussed under <br />Prime Farmland Determinations below, the Darvey-Bari soils have since been determined to be <br />Prime. <br />E1. Prime Farmland Determinations <br />Two areas have been designated as having prime farmlands. The first is located on the Morgan <br />Property, south of BB Road and west of 2700 Road. This area is delineated on Map 2.04.9 — <br />Soils Baseline as soil map unit 98E. It comprises 87.03 acres. <br />The second area is a small portion north of BB Road and west of 2700 Road. This area is <br />delineated on Map 2.04.9 — Soils Baseline as soil map unit 98A. It comprises 4.76 acres. <br />F. Vegetation and Land Use <br />The natural vegetation in the Nucla area was pinyon juniper woodland and Great Basin sagebrush. <br />More than 100 years of intensive agricultural activity in the area has resulted in only scattered <br />remnants of the native vegetation types. Prior to the agricultural conversion, sagebrush shrublands <br />occupied the park -like areas with deeper soils and more gentle slopes while the more broken <br />upland areas with shallow coarse textured soils were occupied by the pinyon juniper woodlands. <br />In the baseline surveys, six general vegetation types were found: irrigated pasture, irrigated hay <br />land, irrigated cropland (small grains), swale/drainage, sagebrush/grass, and various miscellaneous <br />types related to old farmsteads, abandoned orchards, and disturbed areas. The mine area has been <br />15 <br />