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<br />s • <br />approve planned operations for the first permit term in the Grassy <br />Creek watershed. The Division must find that projected cumulative <br />hydrologic impacts to the Sage Creek watershed will not result in <br />material damage in order to permit life-of-mine operations outlined <br />in the Yoast application package. We would be happy to discuss <br />SCC's proposals for addressing the Sage Creek hydrologic impacts <br />soon. <br />I. Annand Draw <br />An area of subirrigated pasture on an alluvial deposit in Annand <br />Draw was identified in Section 8. The subirrigated area is between <br />8 and 11 acres in size. Hay was occasionally cut in the field, but <br />the field has not been managed for the past five years, and is <br />reverting to native grasses and sedges. Vegetation in the field is <br />dominated by sedges, bluegrass, redtop, and other hydrophytic <br />species. There does not appear to be another hay field in <br />production within several miles of this field. <br />Subirrigation water appears to be consistently available in the <br />spring and summer although one hole dug in October, 1992 did not __ <br />encounter water. Stream flow in this section of Annand Draw is <br />intermittent, averaging 0.056, 0.02, and 0.0 cfs in the spring, <br />summer, and fall respectively of 1991 and 1992. There is no <br />effective potential for flood irrigation. <br />Vegetative production in the field is reported to be less than <br />nearby dryland Conservation Reserve Program lands. In 1992, the <br />Annand Draw field produced 2632 ,~/acre of dry matter while nearby <br />CRP lands produced an average of 3542 #/acre. <br />Due to the limited size of the subirrigated field, its isolation <br />from other hay producing areas, and its apparent marginal history <br />as a hay field, this area is determined not to be an alluvial <br />valley floor. Regional agricultural practices in Routt County, <br />specifically in the Sage and Grassy Creek areas near the Yoast <br />permit area, do not indicate a potential hay field of this size is <br />likely to be put into agricultural production. <br />II. Hockett Farm on Scotchman's Gulch <br />A 12 acre portion of a large field of small grains along <br />Scotchman's Gulch in Sections 28 and 33 is found on subirrigated <br />alluvium. Hockett Farms currently has approximately 2000 acres in <br />small grain production in this area. The fields are either in <br />production or fallow. Mr. Duane Hockett indicated, and the.Yoast <br />PAP repeats, that winter wheat yields from the subirrigated portion <br />of his grain field are typically 10-15$ less than the adjacent <br />