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<br /> <br />4 <br />Due to the existence of flood irrigation and the presence of <br />subirrigation of the unconsolidated streamlaid deposits in the <br />fields immediately upstream from the old Sage Creek Reservoir, <br />these fields are determined to be alluvial valley floors. The <br />Yoast PHC does not address the potential impacts of mining on flood <br />irrigation of this area. SCC needs to provide additional <br />information addressing the potential of this area for flood <br />irrigation. Unless flood irrigation is demonstrated to be <br />insignificant, the PAP needs to address Rule 2.06,8(4) by <br />documenting, <br />1. the characteristics of the AVF which are essential <br />hydrologic functions (flood and/or subirrigation), <br />2. whether mining operations will interrupt, discontinue, or <br />preclude farming operations, <br />3. whether mining operations will result in material damage <br />to the quality of surface water supplying the AVF, and <br />4. a monitoring system for verifying these projections. <br />IV. Sage Creek "Flood Irrigated Alfalfa Fields" <br />The Yoast PAP indicates the presence of approximately 86 acres of <br />flood irrigated alfalfa hay in Section 30. Alfalfa was flood <br />irrigated in this field from 1988-1992 by the owner, Dutch <br />Williams. The field was irrigated by means of pipes spreading <br />water from a small reservoir on Sage Creek. The reservoir <br />currently does not impound water because the dam is breached. <br />Mr. Williams indicated the field was converted to dryland wheat for <br />a number of reasons. He said water availability for irrigation was <br />marginal, however, he indicated that future restoration of the dam <br />and flood irrigation of the filed was a possibility. He indicated <br />the creek typically dries up in July or August. <br />The Yoast PAP indicates that flows in Sage Creek are too small <br />during the irrigation season to flood irrigate more than 3-4 acres. <br />Page 16-3-6 indicates continuous flow monitoring during 1990-93 <br />found 0.25 cfs or more during 73 of 366 days during the growing <br />season. 0.25 cfs would flood irrigate 10 acres. However, data <br />from WSS4 (upstream from the former alfalfa field and downstream <br />from Peabody's diversion from Sage Creek) shows flows greater than <br />0.25 cfs throughout 4 of 6 growing seasons, and during the majority <br />of the other two growing seasons. <br />