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portions, between the Farmers Ditch and the river, which exhibit some subirrigation, may be attributed to recharge from adjacent irrigation ditches and canals. In these areas flood irrigation is the essential function. The operator will restore the essential hydrologic functions of this Alluvial Valley Floor at the completion of mining. The loadout facilities will be dismantled and hauled off the site. The area will be regraded to restore irrigation ditches and original pre-mining contours. With the acceptance of Stipulation No. 26, the Division finds that the essential hydrologic functions of the Alluvial Valley Floor along the North Fork of the Gunnison River will be restored after mining. The Alluvial Valley Floor assumed to exist adjacent to the permit revision area along Terror Creek is not grandfathered and, therefore, is protected under the full scope of the Act and Regulations. As previously mentioned; a negative determination for the presence of an AVF was made for East and West Roatcap Creek as well as the lands affected in the Terror Creek drainage basin. Based on this information the Division makes the following findings Pursuant to Rule 2.06.8(5)(a)(i), the Division finds that the proposed surface mining operations, would not interrupt, discontinue, or preclude farming on Alluvial Valley Floors (Rule 2.06.8(5)). 2. Pursuant to Rule 2.05.8(5)(a>(ii), the Division finds that the proposed surface coal mining operations would not materially damage the quantity and quality of water in surface and ground water systems that supply those Alluvial Valley Floors or portions of Alluvial Valley Floors. 3. Pursuant to Rule 4.24.2(1), the Division finds that the proposed surface coal mining operation has been designed to preserve the essential hydrologic functions of Alluvial Valley Floors. XVIII. Operations on Prime Farmland Information pertaining to prime farmland may be found on pages 88 and 89 of Section 2.04 and in the Prime Farmland Appendix of Volume 9A. The Division has previously made a negative determination pertaining to the presence of prime farmland at this site. The basis of this determination has been letters from the Soil Conservation Society specifying there are no prime farmland mapping units within the permit area. The Division has no received any information causing a change to this previous determination. Therefore, the Division reaffirms a negative determination pertaining to the presence of prime farmland within the permit area. -46-