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M.. Midnel Bmday/Ms..SmrG'~n • Dnssrcn ojMc~nls and G®(ogy Septardrr 29, 1999 Pale 1 The portion of field considered an possible AVF encompasses approximately 10 to 15 acres and is long and narrow, conforming w the valley configuration. The field produces native grasses (smooth brome (approximately 75 percent), bluegrass (approximately 20 percent), and various annuals and weeds (dandelions, yarrow, and Canada thistle, approximately 5 percent) and has not been tilled over the last 30 years. No row-crops are produced on this land. The field is harrowed in the spring to spread manure piles, used for hay production until August, and then used for limited grating from September through November. Hay production is limited by the short growing season (approximately 90 days) to a single cutting, typically during the month of August. A beaver dam at the lower end of the field creates active-acre parcel that is too wet for hay and is dominated by rushes and wetland grasses. Surrounding ]ands aze unmanaged sagebrush range. Sage Creek, the primary drainage on the propery, was historically diverted around the sides of the field. The landowner holds no adjudicated water rights to surface water in Sage Creek but has agreements for early runoff withdrawals, allowing limited flood imgation until mid-June when stream flows decline to a level precluding further withdrawals. The field is, therefore, flood imgated For a very limited period in late spring during high spring runoff flow in Sage Creek from feeder ditches along the north and east sides of the field. The Valora's operation is a limited sheep ranch with approximately 50 to 100 head of sheep, which is not an agricultural production operation but does provide some supplemental income. Mr. Valora currently works full-time as a heavy equipment operator, so they are not financially dependent on agricultural production. The Valora's were not able to provide an annual production value for their sheep since their sales of wool and sheep are dependent on market conditions and vary significantly from year to year. Mr. Valora has been caretaking this property for more [han 20 years. He owns approximately 25 percent of the subject hay field and leases the remainder from a neighbor. Under the lease agreement, Mr. Valora retains 2/3 of the hay crop for irrigating and harvesting the land and then buys the remaining 1/3 from rite landowner at the cwrem market value (approximately $70 to $80/ton). The production from this hay field is approximately 2 tons/ acre annually, or 30 tons. The cost of harvesting and baling the hay are approximately 50 to 60 percent of the hay value. Therefore, the subject hay field produces hay valued a[ a total of approximately $1,125 per year (a[ $75/ton). The Valora's annual income from hay production is 2/3 of this total or approximately $753. Most of the Valora's hay production (100 to 150 tons total with a value of approximately $4,690) and grazing occurs on the Yuan property in upper Trout Creek and [he Leonard Yoast Hay meadows on upper Sage Creek. All of the hay produced from the subject hay field (30 tons, approximately 25 percent of the total yield) is used to winter the sheep. The value of the Valora's hay production from the subject hay field represents approximately 16 percent of the value of their overall hay produttion. This figure does not take into account any value for sheep production from the Valora's operations since no information was available. The Valora's are aware of the proposed Yoast mine expansion and verbally indicated no objection to the project. Their existing hay Geld along Sage Creek is small in size, produces hay valued at approximately $1,125 annually, and represents the source of only approximately 16 percent of the overall value of their annual hay production. The potential for adverse mining-related impacts to the Valora's existing operations from any increase in salinity in Sage Creek is minimal. Copies of the Valora interview forms are included with this submittal.