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During the review of PR-2, three areas mapped as Qa and Qvf in upper Hubberson Gulch <br />were further investigated to determine their designation as AVF's. The first two areas <br />are located in Sections 34 and the third is located in Section 21, TSN, R88W. The first <br />area is southeast of proposed Pond 017; the second area is northwest of the proposed <br />Pond 017; and the third area is south of two irrigated hay fields. All three fields are <br />long, narrow bands of alluvial deposits covering less than one acre total. These areas <br />were determined not to be AVF's. The areas are in narrow reaches of the canyon with <br />a sinous, incised channel. Flood irrigation and farm production would not be <br />economically feasible in these areas. <br />AVF Findings <br />The Division has determined that an alluvial valley floor exists within the affected or <br />adjacent area. Therefore, the following findings are in order for the alluvial valley floors <br />known as Sage Creek and Dry Creek located East and Northwest, respectively, of the <br />permit boundary. <br />1. With regard to Dry Creek, the Division fmds that activities proposed by the <br />applicant will not interrupt, discontinue, or preclude farming on the alluvial valley <br />floors that are irrigated or naturally subirrigated except for small areas which may <br />provide negligible support for the farm's agricultural production (4.24.3(1)) and <br />2.06.8(5)(a)(i)). <br />The only mining related activity which would interrupt farming on an alluvial valley <br />floor is the tie across haul road which has already been completed. The Division <br />previously determined that the 2.3 acres of hayland on the Dry Creek AVF which <br />would be taken out of production represented only 0.2% of the farm unit and was <br />therefore of negligible impact. Actual mining operations will be conducted a half <br />mile or more from the alluvial deposits of Hubberson Gulch, Dry Creek, and Sage <br />Creek. <br />2. With regard to Hubberson Gulch, Sage Creek and Dry Creek, the activities will not <br />materially damage the quantity or quality of water in the surface or ground water <br />system (4.24.3(3) and 2.06.8(5)(a)(ii)), and the proposed activities will comply with <br />the requirements of the Act and the Regulations with respect to alluvial valley floors <br />(2.06.8(5)(a)(iii). <br />a. On Hubberson Gulch, a 26 acre subirrigated and flood irrigated hayfield, and <br />a point of diversion are located in portions of Sections 16 and 21, TSN, R88W. <br />The fields are downstream from Pond 016 and 017 discharge points and <br />upstream from the 006 Gulch confluence. This field is a small part of a much <br />larger ranching operation. Hay production from this field contributes <br />approximately 11 percent of the total ranching operations production. Mining <br />in the Seneca II-W South Extension Area is projected to increase the salinity <br />Seneca I1-W Findings Document 41 November 3, 1999 <br />