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• western portion of the study area are more conducive to cropping activities. The cropland <br />areas in the central portion of the study area contain areas with shallow soils or boggy ground <br />which restrict yields and equipment operation. The central portion of the study area containing <br />cropland is also in the western portion of the permit area. Soils in the cropland portion of the <br />permit area are dominated by the Progresso complex (Unit 30C). Soils within this complex are <br />generally shallow, have a poor capability class, and require a high level of management inputs. <br />The low potential of the cropland in the permit area is partially reflected in their present poor <br />condition. Cropping may be periodically carried out in other portions of the study area outside <br />of the above areas, however this lasts only one to two years as a rotation during renovation of <br />hayland or pastureland. <br />Crops normally grown in the Nucla area include corn for silage and small grains such as oats, <br />winter wheat, and barley. During the 1987 growing season, only one field (located in the <br />southwest corner of the study area) was planted to a crop. This field was planted to winter <br />wheat for grain, but was pastured in the fall/winter after the grain had established and stooled <br />out. Prior to the grain maturing during the summer of 1987, a short term management decision <br />by the operator resulted in the entire stand being grazed by sheep instead of harvested for <br />• grain. All other fields within the study area were left fallow during the 1987 cropping season. <br />The two fields in the western portion of the study area that were not in winter wheat during <br />1987, were tilled late in the year during 1987 as a fallow/weed clean-up operation (see Figures <br />4-7 and 4-8, Peabody Appendix 10-4. Note: photos taken prior to fallow operation). The two <br />cropland areas in the central portion of the study area (western edge of the permit area) were <br />not tilled after harvest the previous year and were allowed to volunteer barley and a host of <br />annual and perennial weedy species. All cropland areas contain many weedy species. These <br />species are noted in Peabody Appendix 10-1 "Species List". <br />Since no cropland was placed in production or harvested during 1987, no specific yield data is <br />available for the study area. An estimate of the capability of the major soils in the study area <br />may be gained by review of the soils map unit descriptions and soils interpretation sheets (SCS <br />Form 5's) contained in Section 2.04.9, Soils Resource Information. For the Barx series (map <br />unit 70B), the more extensive of the two series cropped, the following values might be <br />achieved under a high level of management (irrigated): corn silage - 22 tons/acre, alfalfa hay - <br />5.5 tons/acre, grass hay - 4.5 tons/acre, oats - 80 bushels/acre, and barley - 110 bushels/acre. <br />• (REVISED 9/99) 2.04.10 - 50 <br />