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of 115 acres of land are presently flood irrigated. NCIG projects that two to four acre-feet of water per year is required to irrigate each acre of land. Based on historic records, the average flow in the Vulcan ditch is 1,400 acre-feet. Since mining has ceased, other than irrigation of reclaimed areas, NCIG is not proposing any consumptive use of water from the Vulcan Ditch. Irrigation of the reclaimed disturbance area is considered a mining related use. Accordingly, in order to aid the Division in tracking NCIG's commitment to maintaining the water supply necessary to continue flood irrigation of the 115 acres of alluvial valley floor, the following stipulation from a previous permit approval remains necessary. Stinulation No. 4 THE PERMITTEE MUST, AT ALL TIMES, SUPPLY ADEQUATE WATER FOR FLOOD IRRIGATION OF THE ALLUVIAL VALLEY FLOOR BELOW THE VULCAN DITCH. IF, AT AM' TIME DURING THE IRRIGATION SEASON (MAY, JUNE, JULY, AUGUST, AND SEPTEMBER), THE FLOW IN THE VULCAN DITCH DROPS BELOW 1.6 CUBIC PEEP PER SECOND, THE PERMnTEE MUST RECEIVE DMSION APPROVAL BASED ON A DEMONSTRATION THAT THE WATER IS NOT NECESSARY FOR IRRIGATION OF THE AVF, BEFORE USING THE WATER IN THE MIMNG OPERATION. The water supply for the subirrigated area near the Colorado River is, as previously discussed, groundwater flow due to imgation from the Vulcan ditch. Since NCIG has committed to not diverting excessive water for flood irrigation, the source of water for subirrigating this area will not be affected. The source of water for the subirrigated area bisected by the Vulcan ditch is a small ephemeral drainage. The proposed operation will not affect any of the area tributary to this drainage; therefore, there should be no effect on the water supply to this subirrigated area. Based on the foregoing discussion, the Division has determined that an alluvial valley floor exists within the affected or adjacent area. Therefore, the following findings are in order for the alluvial valley floors known as the Colorado River and Alkali Creek located adjacent to but not on the disturbed area. The Division finds that activities proposed by the applicant have not and are not predicted to interrupt, discontinue, or preclude farming on the alluvial valley floors that are irrigated or naturally subirrigated (4.24.3(1)). The activities have not and are not predicted to materially damage the quantity or quality of water in the surface or ground water system described above (4.24.3(3) and 2.06.8(5)(a)(ii)). The proposed activities have complied with the requirements of the Act and the Regulations with respect to alluvial valley floors (2.06.8(5)(a)(iii)). Coal Ridge No. 1 Mine 20 Permit Rencwal No. 3