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• The area designated on Qt3 (see map at end of this report) <br />is also being flood irrigated currently. The perimeter of this <br />flood irrigated area is the Bostwick Ditch and lateral ditches <br />off this main ditch. With the exception of small areas above <br />these ditches, the entire portion of (Qt3) within the two mile <br />study area is being flood irrigated. This region, however, does <br />not lie within the Bolton Draw watershed area. Therefore, mining <br />will not impact surface water availability. Groundwater quantities <br />likewise will not be impacted because the recharge area for ground- <br />water in this vicinity will not be disturbed by mining. <br />Classification of Agricultural Land Uses <br />As has been previously stated, the Bolton Draw watershed <br />region is used as rangeland only. No cash crops are grown within <br />the Bolton Draw watershed. The nearest area growing crops is the <br />floodplain along the Canadian River where hay is grown. According <br />to Mr. John Nuding, manager of the nearby Noffsinger Ranch, the soil <br />• in Bolton Draw is not suited for crops as hay because of its poor <br />characteristics (mainly high clay content). This is evident from <br />the obvious failure of the Bolton Draw which couldn't even help <br />native grasses to grow. <br />The only land within the two mile study area that is capable <br />of producing crops is the lower terrace region (Qt3). No other <br />land above this terrace has the capability to produce crops. <br />The vegetation above the Bostwick Ditch on the adjacent hill- <br />sides consists of big sagebrush, prairie junegrass, a variety of <br />wheatgrasses and native forbs not indicative of subirrigation. The <br />vegetation of the flood irrigated areas below Bostwick Ditch consists <br />of willows along the ditches, and native hay. Native hay in the <br />North Park area usually consists of timothy, tufted hairgrass, some <br />foxtail and sedges and rushes. Except for willows, these species <br />• <br />-111- <br />