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-III_ <br />~o land within the permit and adjacent .are<~ has been historically used <br />as cropland. The land is neither irris;ated nor naturally subirrigated. <br />Therefore, the Division has determined tha[ there is no prime farmland <br />within the area to be affected. <br />The alluvial valley Floor section of the permit application, pages 350- <br />362, was provided through the Small Operators Assistance Program. Three <br />ephemeral drainages are located in and adjacent to the permit area. <br />'These are Pryor Canyon, Black Hawk Canyon, and Santa Clara Creek as <br />shown on map 4 of this report. Pryor Canyon to the north of the proposed <br />permit area has been mined through and reclaimed. The Pryor valley floor <br />west of the disturbed portion does contain alluvial deposit s,however not <br />of sufficient width or acreage to meet the alluvial valley floor criteria. <br />Black Hawk Canyon to the south contains alluvial deposits over one mile <br />in length and approximately 600 feet in width. The Black Flawk Creek is <br />ephemera]., flowing only in direct response to precipitation events. <br />'Cho potential for flood irrigation i5 minimal because of the low, <br />intermitant flows. There are no signs of past or present flood irrigation <br />nor of subirrigation along the drainage. Therefore, the Division makes <br />negative alluvial. valley f.l.oor determinations for both Pryor and Gl.ack Hawk <br />Canyons. <br />Santa Clara Creek lies east of the proposed permit area. Extensive <br />alluvial. deposits c+f over 1,000 feet in width and 3 miles in length <br />mantle the vallev floor. Remnants of a diversion structure and a concrete <br />]fined channel to an abandoned field e::ist approx>,nately two miles down- <br />stream From the proposed permit area. The small hay and alfalfa field was <br />abandoned over 30 years ago because the flow of Santa Clara Creek was <br />insufficient to provide adequate water For irriga non. The ephemeral <br />nature of Santa Clara Creek also appears to have provided a very poor <br />water source for subirrigated plant species. I4o subirrigated plants <br />were found in the area adjacent to the mine during the vegetation <br />investigation. The Division therefore finds that Santa Clara Creek is <br />not an alluvial valley floor. <br />