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Lithic Ustollic Haplargid. T'he main difference between these two is the distance to bedrock; Bond <br />soils are shallow (17 to 19 inches to bedrock) while Progresso soils are fairly deep (36 inches to <br />bedrock). This complex is found on gently to strongly sloping irrigated uplands over much of the <br />New Horizon Mine 2 area. The soils are shallow to moderately deep, well drained sandy foams <br />formed in sandstone derived alluvium. Topsoil quality is good to an average depth of 2.1 feet. <br />The Barx soil is found in the southeast comer of the New Horizon Mine 2 permit azea. It is classified <br />as afine-loamy, mixed, mesic Ustollic Haplargid. It is a deep, well drained sandy loam formed in <br />sandstone derived alluvium. Part of this soil unit (about 15 acres) has been historically used for hay <br />production, is irrigated with a dependable water supply, and was reclaimed as prime farmland but was <br />recently declassified as prime farmland by the USDA - NRCS (Natural Resources Conservation <br />Service). <br />The ephemeral drainages of the New Horizon Mine 2 area contain three families of Haplaquoll soils; <br />Lithic, Lithic/Typic, and Typic Haplaquolls..Thefoamy, [nixed, mesic, Lithic Haplaquolls are found <br />in the upper reaches of the swales in the area and are the shallowest of the three series (bedrock at <br />11 inches). Lithic/I'ypic Haplaquolls (coarse-loamy, mixed, mesic. moderately deep Typic <br />Haplaquolls) are found in the mid to lower reaches of the swales and exhibit good quality soil to a <br />depth of about 24 inches. The fine-loamy, mixed, mesic, deep Typic Haplaquolls are found in the <br />lower reaches of the swales and along Calamity Draw. These soils have sandy loam and loam <br />textures to a depth of about four feet with sandy clay loam below that. The soils were classified as <br />Haplaquolls because of soil wetness. However, this diagnostic factor is artificially induced because <br />of irrigation water. The soils were formed in the alluvium of the swales. Fair to good quality topsoil <br />exists in the Swale areas in thicknesses from 1.2 to over 4 feet. <br />Vegetation, Wildlife and Land Use <br />Six general vegetation types are found on the New Horizon Mine 2 area: irrigated pasture, irrigated <br />hay land, irrigated cropland (small grains), Swale/drainage, sagebrush/grass, and various miscellaneous <br />types related to old farmsteads, abandoned orchards, and disturbed areas. The New Horizon 2 area <br />is intensively used for agricultural. Irrigated agricultural land (pasture, hayland, and cropland) <br />comprises 224.64 acres, or 67.6 percent of the total 332-acre permit area. The Swale/drainage <br />vegetation type accounts for 54.74 acres, or 16.48 percent of the total proposed permit area addition, <br />while the upland area sagebtush/grass type covers 25.5 acres, or 7.68 percent. Roads and <br />miscellaneous types account for the remainder of the land area, 27.18 acres, or 8.19 percent. <br />The area surrounding the New Horizon Mine permit is used by a large variety of wildlife including <br />coyotes, fox, mule deer, elk (in the winter) and numerous bird species. <br />Description of the Operations and Reclamation Plan <br />New Horizon Mine 1 <br />The presently permitted New Horizon Mine 1 encompasses 327 acres of which 145.7 acres were <br />affected my mining activities. Several areas of ungraded "pre-law" spoils existed when Peabody <br />acquired the mine in 1963. These areas were subsequently reclaimed by the Inactive Mining Program <br />8 <br />