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usefulness for identifying water availability criteria necessary for alluvial valley floor <br />interpretation. Therefore, the most useful information supplied by the permittee for <br />AVF purposes is the estimation of average annual streamflow calculated through <br />Grunskys formula. The amount of water available annually, as estimated through his <br />method, indicates that Red Wash further qualifies as a potential alluvial valley floor. <br />In response to requirements for additional information (Stipulation No. 8), the <br />permittee prepared and submitted a report entitled "Red Wash Drainage Basin Alluvial <br />Valley Floor Study" to the Division on July 27, 1983. The emphasis of the report <br />was to provide additional detailed information on the characteristics of the alluvial <br />body and the availability of sufficient water to support agricultural activities. Based on <br />information contained in the report and information supplied to the Division by the <br />Meeker Office of the Soil Conservation Service regarding regional flood irrigation <br />practices, the Division has made a negative alluvial valley floor determination for <br />those portions of Red Wash situated within the Deserado Mine permit area. <br />As such, the fmdings of the Division regarding the AVF determination for Red Wash <br />and its associated alluvium are hereby revised as follows: <br />Red Wash Alluvial Valley Floor Determination <br />The Division has determined that Red Wash and its associated alluvium within <br />Section 36, Township 73 North, Range 101 West, and Section 1, Township 2 North, <br />Range 101 West, meets the geomorphic criteria, but not the irrigation requirements of <br />an AVF, as outlined in OSM's "Alluvial Valley Floor Guidelines" established pursuant <br />to the Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act of 1977. <br />Specifically, pursuant to Rule 2.06.8(3)(c), the Division fmds that there is not <br />sufficient water to support agricultural activities. This is based on the following <br />evidence: <br />A. Flood irrigation is not presently, and has not historically, been practiced in Red <br />Wash (ER) Resources Corporation, 1982); and <br />B. The capability of the area to be flood irrigated is negligible as demonstrated by the <br />SCS regional practices information. An SCS map entitled "Land Use and Natural Plan <br />Communities, Rio Blanco County, Colorado" delineates irrigated agricultural land in <br />Rio Blanco County. In the and western half of Rio Blanco County, irrigated lands are <br />primarily concentrated along the flood plain of the White River. The Red Wash <br />drainage basin occupies 78,400 acres in northwestern Rio Blanco and southwestern <br />Moffat Counties. Higher elevation portions of the drainage basin are characterized by <br />juniper woodland and sagebnrsh-grass vegetation, while clayey salt desert-type <br />vegetation predominates lower elevation portions of the watershed. <br />Average annual precipitation within the Red Wash basin varies from 9 to 12 inches. <br />Information in the permit application indicates that certain tributary drainages in the <br />upper reaches of Red Wash are intermittent because ground water may enter the <br />26 <br />