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<br />LJ <br /> <br />u <br /> <br />concern to Peabody Coal Company, is the ditch outlined in blue on Exhibit II. This ditch <br />lies due north of the property and obtains water from the $an Miguel over six miles from <br />the mine. As seen in Exhibit III, which is a postmining drainage map, this ditch is not <br />being disturbed by mining and will continue to maintain irrigation water for nearby <br />ranchers. <br />Also to be considered in this study, is Tuttle Draw. Site inspection indicates that flood <br />irrigation water is not obtained from Tuttle Draw. However, it must be noted that the <br />perennial flow in Tuttle Draw is principally due to irrigation return flow and that water <br />rights indicate the water is to be used for irrigation (see Tab 7 of the permit application). <br />ii. Water Availability - Subirrigation. Vegetation indicates that subirrigation does occur <br />along Tuttle Draw and Calamity Draw. These areas are delineated in Exhibit II. It must <br />be noted that due to The flood irrigation system, that subirrigation is not considered to be <br />very important to agriculture. In addition, irrigation water is a source for recharge and <br />often creates groundwater mound. In areas where this occurs, the vegetation and soil <br />quickly dry up when the ditch is turned off from October to June. <br />iii. Geomorphic Characteristics. Areas delineated in Exhibit II are valley fills. The <br />exact thicknesses are unknown. The valley fill adjacent to the mine is approximately 20 <br />acres in size and is currently being used for pasture land by the land owner, Bud Benson. <br />The Nucla Mine has been operating near the draw for the life of mine without any visual <br />disturbance to the valley fill area. <br />The man-made irrigation ditch directly north of the property exhibits no geomorpho~al <br />characteristics. As mentioned earlier, this ditch originates at the San Miguel River. <br />Finally, in Exhibit II, areas labeled First and Second Parks are comprised chiefly of <br />undifferentiated wind deposited silt and sand which have been reworked by water into <br />broad valley. These areas are further illustrated in Exhibit 6-I, a geologic map, in Tab 6 <br />of the Permit Application. These areas are primarily ditch irrigated, rolling farm lands <br />and should not be considered alluvial valley fills. <br />-2- <br />