2021-12-22_PERMIT FILE - C1981019A ‎(3)‎

• Permit No: C1981019A
• IBM Index Class Name: Permit File
• Doc Date: 12/22/2021
• Section_Exhibit Name: 2.04 Information on Environmental Resources
• Media Type: D
• Archive: Yes

RULE 2 PERMITS
As described in Section 2.04.11, the rangeland also supports substantial populations of deer, elk,
sage grouse, non-game birds, raptors, and numerous other wildlife species.
Cropland adjacent to,the permit area has been historically planted to winter wheat and alfalfa grass
mixtures; the grain is harvested the following summer with the hay also being harvested at that
time. The wheat fields then lie fallow the next year to allow the soil moisture to recharge. The
cropping pattern in the region is to alternate years of harvest with years of leaving the ground in
fallow. A limited amount of livestock grazing is done on these fields after they are harvested in
the late summer and fall. Wheat production averages 30 bushels per acre during crop years, and
irrigated hayland averages 3 tons per acre per year.
Reclaimed minelands are now becoming an increasingly important land use component within the
permit area. Substantial acreage of this type is now available for use by local wildlife populations
and will become increasingly important as mining continues. These reclaimed areas are becoming
the habitat of choice for local deer and elk populations during the fall and spring months and winter
months when snow cover is not a limiting factor.
Land Condition Capability and Productivity
The present condition of the permit area can be described as good to fair for rangeland
conditions. A trend toward improvement has taken place over much of the area due to reduced
livestock grazing during the last several years since the land was obtained by Colowyo. Grazing
has not been allowed within the initial Colowyo permit area since fences were constructed in
1977. Grazing within the permit boundary may be initiated should Colowyo feel and
demonstrate that there will be a benefit to reclaimed lands.
Areas where range condition was rated fair was restricted to the areas near the drainage areas and
especially watering ponds. These areas were concentration areas for livestock and commonly
experienced range deterioration. The remainder of the unmined lands within the permit area were
and continue to be- in"good"range condition.
In most cases, the soils within the permit area currently are being utilized for rangeland purposes
with the agronomic usefulness of these soils being limited to usage- as rangeland. Additional
information on soils is found in Section 2.04.9.
Productivity of the rangeland and pastureland areas in the permit area, in terms of forage
production,and major uses as obtained from Range Site Descriptions prepared by the USDA-Soil
Conservation service, are found in Exhibit 9, Soils Information. The annual forage production in
terms of pounds of air dry forage per acre during normal precipitation years averages 400 lb/acre
across the permit area with a range from 100 to 1,000 pounds per acre.
Based on information from the Bureau of Land Management, the ability of the vegetation to
support domestic animals is broken down as follows: 27.5 acres/AUM (Animal Unit Month) in
pinyon juniper vegetation type, seven acres/AUM in sage brush type, 5.5 acres/AUM in mountain
shrub type, and 3.5 acres/AUM in the bottomlands that are used for grazing.
Rule 2 Permits 2.04-2 Revision Date: 12/20/19
Revision No.: TR-135