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roughening and ditching around the pile, establishing an annual cover crop, or establishing a <br /> perennial grass cover, depending on the length of time a stockpile will be in place. <br /> Overburden was removed by shovel and trucks after an area was drilled and shot. An ANFO slurry <br /> was the primary agent used in the blast. All shots were monitored with seismographs located at <br /> structures nearest to the blast. All blasting was completed by June 2013. <br /> Mining began along the eastern subcrop of the NHM area and continued west through the BB <br /> Road and the 2700 Road to the final cut which was located between Ponds 15 and 13. A panel <br /> mining method was used to develop the pits (see Map 2.05.2-1). The panels varied in length, up <br /> to 3,500 feet. The panel width was typically 100 to 120 feet. The overburden was excavated using <br /> a shovel and trucks and then placed or pushed into an adjacent or nearby mined-out pit. <br /> The reclamation plan is designed to replace agricultural lands using irrigation water from the CCC <br /> Ditch. The remaining areas will be planted to dryland pasture. It is anticipated that wetland <br /> vegetation will establish in low spots and adjacent to impoundments on the reclaimed landscape, <br /> due to the presence of water from irrigation runoff. Continued incidental use of the reclaimed <br /> landscape by wildlife similar to that which occurred prior to mining is expected. <br /> Operations on Prime Farmland <br /> There are two areas of designated Prime Farmland within the permit area. The first is the Morgan <br /> property, southwest of the 2700 Road and BB Road intersection, which is dominated by Darvey- <br /> Barx complex soils (map unit 98E). The second is in the northwest corner of the permit area and <br /> is dominated by Begay soils (map unit 98A) on land owned by ERMR. Approximately 3.96 acres <br /> has been disturbed by mining operations. ERMR will manage and reclaim these areas in <br /> accordance with Prime Farmland requirements of Rule 2.06.6 and 4.25, as discussed in Section <br /> XVIII of this document. <br /> Water Rights and Usage <br /> The water rights, usage and augmentation plan is presented in Section 2.05.6(3) of the permit <br /> application. There are 11 surface water rights and 29 water wells adjacent to the mine sites. <br /> The monitoring plan is described in Section B, Item II E, of this Findings Document. The plan is <br /> detailed enough to show any impacts on adjacent water rights to the NHM. ERMR has shown that <br /> it has adequate water rights to mitigate any discovered impacts and this complies with the <br /> requirements of 4.05.15. <br /> 18 <br />