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<br />dryland areas, due to the increased salinity of the water in <br />Scotchman's Gulch. There are no data available to verify this. <br />Ground water sampled adjacent to the field had an EC of 4070 <br />umhos/cm in 1992. Stream flow in the gulch had an EC of 4350 <br />umhos/cm on May 19, 1995. The stream is intermittent in this area. <br />Potential for flood irrigation does not appear plausible. <br />The 1983 OSM "Alluvial Valley Floor Identification and Study <br />Guidelines" (Appendix C, page C-10) includes a highlighted <br />statement that, <br />"Agricultural crops or rangeland must receive enough <br />subirrigation that the community is notably more productive or <br />more agriculturally useful when compared to dryland areas." <br />Since the poor quality of water available for subirrigation of the <br />grain field adjacent to Scotchman's Gulch precludes this area from <br />being notably more productive (it appears to be less productive) <br />than dryland portions of the same field, this area is not an <br />alluvial valley floor. Based on the hydrologic characteristics of <br />the ground water, there is insufficient water available to support <br />beneficial subirrigation agricultural activities. <br />III. Sage Creek Reservoir Site <br />Two fields located just upstream from the former Sage Creek <br />Reservoir dam (Sections 13 and 18) are identified in the Yoast PAP <br />as subirrigated native wetlands and subirrigated grass hay. The <br />native wetland area is basically the area once covered by the <br />reservoir, which failed in 1985. This area is currently used for <br />grazing. The grass hay field is currently being farmed for hay, <br />and had a "For Sale" sign posted on May 19, 1995. <br />These fields are located. in the upper reaches of Sage Creek, and <br />therefore are not typical of alluvial valley floors with <br />agricultural potential. However, one field (approximately 13 <br />acres) is currently being farmed for hay, and the other larger <br />field appears to have the potential to be put to use as a <br />subirrigated hay field. Furthermore, during a site visit on May <br />19, 1995, the upper grass hay field was being flood irrigated by <br />means of an irrigation ditch along the eastern edge of the field. <br />Neither the ditch or the flood irrigation are mentioned in the <br />Yoast PAP. Stream flow data near this field indicates there may <br />not be enough surface water to support flood irrigation during <br />later parts of the growing season. <br />