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' A 200-foot setback from the Arkansas River is proposed for the mining operation. <br /> ' The setback should prevent potential impacts to the riparian areas due to mining <br /> ' adjacent to the river. With the exception of the riparian habitat areas within the <br /> 200-foot setback adjacent to the river, most of the area appears to have been <br /> ' heavily grazed by cattle and/or recently cultivated (see Photo No. 2). Most of the <br /> ' property is reported to have been used for agricultural purposes and cultivated <br /> for over 50 years. <br /> 1 <br /> ' Other than the currently plowed areas, the predominant vegetative community in <br /> the project area north of the river is comprised of four-to five-foot tall salt cedar <br /> ' (Tamarisk), with a noncontiguous understory (approximately 30 percent cover) of <br /> ' grasses. These grasses are predominantly blue grama, western wheatgrass and <br /> bluestem. The vegetative community over most of the pastureland area is <br /> ' relatively homogenous (see Photo Nos. 3, 4 and 5) and Figure C in Exhibit C. <br /> 1 <br /> ' Within approximately 50 to 100 feet of the river, the riparian vegetative <br /> community becomes denser with a thick brush growth. Willows are the dominant <br /> ' vegetation in the areas immediately adjacent to the river. Scattered cottonwoods <br /> ' occur in a few areas within about 200 feet of the river. <br /> ' The seepage/drainage ditch on the property is most likely a man-made structure <br /> rather than a natural waterway and was probably built to convey drainage from <br /> north of State Hwy. 194 and onto the Arkansas River. The ditch appears to have <br /> ' 40 <br />