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Conservation Service, interviews with farmers, and field reconnaissance, the <br />Division agrees with the applicant's conclusion. No alluvial valley floors exist <br />in the permit azea or the adjacent Grassy Creek watershed which aze in <br />hydrologic communication with the proposed Yoast Mine. <br />As a result of 1990 AVF investigations in the Sage Creek watershed, Seneca <br />Coal Company concluded there are no AVFs in this basin in hydrologic <br />communication with the proposed Yoast Mine. Based on information <br />submitted by the applicant, field reconnaissance, interviews with farmers, and <br />previous findings by the Division and the applicant related to the Seneca II- <br />West Mine, the Division does not concur with the applicant's conclusion. The <br />Division concludes that two areas along Sage Creek downstream from the <br />Yoast permit area meet the regulatory definition of alluvial valley floors. <br />These azeas aze discussed below. <br />Saee Creek Reservoir Site <br />Two fields located just upstream from the former Sage Creek Reservoir dam <br />(Sections 13 and 18) are identified in the Yoast application as subirrigated <br />native wetlands and subirrigated grass hay. The native wetland area is <br />basically the area once covered by the reservoir, which failed in 1985. This <br />area is currently used for grazing. The area immediately upstream from the <br />former reservoir site is currently used as a grass hay field. <br />These fields aze located in the upper reaches of Sage Creek, and therefore <br />are not typical of alluvial valley floors in this azea with agricultural potential. <br />However, the upper field (approximately 13 acres) is currently being farmed <br />for hay, and the other lazger field appears to have the potential to be put to <br />use as a subirrigated hay field. Furthermore, during a site visit on May 19, <br />1995, the upper grass hay field was being flood irrigated by means of an <br />irrigation ditch along the eastern edge of the field. Due to the existence of <br />flood irrigation and the presence of subirrigation of the unconsolidated <br />streamlaid deposits in the fields immediately upstream from the old Sage <br />Creek Reservoir, these fields are determined to be alluvial valley floors. <br />Sape Creek "Flood Irrigated Alfalfa Fields" <br />The Yoast application indicates the presence of approximately 86 acres of <br />flood irrigated alfalfa hay along Sage Creek in Section 30. Alfalfa was flood <br />irrigated in this field from 1988-1992. The field was irrigated by means of <br />pipes spreading water from a small reservoir neaz Sage Creek. The reservoir <br />does not currently impound water because the dam is breached. There is no <br />information in the application regarding the possibility that this field may be <br />subirrigated. <br />vamst Mine 39 luny 6, 1995 <br />