GENERAL39774

• Permit No: C1994082
• IBM Index Class Name: General Documents
• Doc Date: 8/3/2005
• Doc Name: Proposed Decision & Findings of Compliance for RN2
• Permit Index Doc Type: Findings
• Media Type: D
• Archive: No

The Division finds that activities proposed by SCC will not interrupt, discontinue or
preclude farming on the alluvial valley floors in the Sage Creek Reservoir Site that aze
irrigated or naturally subirrigated. The field in Section 13 is undeveloped rangeland,
which is not significant to fanning, and the field in Section 18 provides negligible
support for the farm's agricultural production. (4.24.3(1) and 2.06.8(5)(a)(i)).
The proposed activities will not materially damage the quantity or quality of water in
the surface or ground water system described above, because the lands aze of such
small acreage as to be of negligible impact on the farm's agricultural production.
(4.24.3(3) and 2.06.8(5)(a)(ii)).
The proposed activities will comply with the requirement of the Act and the regulations
with respect to alluvial valley floors (2.06.8(5)(a)(iii)).
Surface coal mining and reclamation operations will be conducted to preserve the
essential hydrologic functions of alluvial floors outside the permit area. (4.24.2)
An environmental monitoring system will be installed, maintained, and operated by the
permittee on all alluvial valley floors during surface coal mining and reclamation
operations and continued until all bonds aze released in accordance with Rule 3.
Saee Creek "Flood Irrigated Alfalfa Fields"
The Yoast application indicates the presence of approximately 86 acres of flood
imgated alfalfa hay along Sage Creek in Section 30. Five to ten acres of alfalfa were
flood imgated in this field from 1988-1992. The field was imgated by means ofpipes
spreading water from a small reservoir neaz Sage Creek. The reservoir does not
currently impound water because the dam is breached.
The field was converted to dryland wheat for a number of reasons. Water availability
for imgation was mazginal, however, future restoration of the dam and flood irrigation
of the field is a remote possibility. The creek typically dries up in July or August.
In PR-I, SCC addressed the potential for flood irrigation in the Section 30 field. It is
unlikely a reservoir in Sage Creek will be rebuilt. Two previous dams have failed and
the increased engineering specifications and costs involved in rebuilding the dam
would be significant. Without the dam, water availability is insufficient for flood
irrigation. The Division agrees with the SCC's assessment of water availability in Sage
Creek and finds that the area has no potential for successful irrigation.
Based on information presented for Yoast PR-1, the Seneca II-West permit application
package and the Division's Findings for the Seneca II-West permit that identify this azea
as an AVF, the Division finds the field in Section 30 meets the regulatory definition of
an alluvial valley floor because it may be subirrigated. However, only a minor portion
of the alluvial valley floor is subirrigated, according to Exhibit 16-3. Furthermore, the
Yoast Mine 40 August 3, 2005