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Productivity of the pinon-juniper woodland overlying the <br />• proposed underground mine has grazing capability of one <br />to five acres per cow, The estimated air dry forage produc- <br />tion for the slope area is 500 to 700 wounds per acre <br />annually. Production is limited by shallow soil and low <br />moisture. The north aspect of the slope is favorable to <br />vegetation, Sandstone ledges limit free access to the <br />slope, <br />Downstream from the mine site 0.75 miles, Lewis Gulch <br />intercepts the Oak Creek Valley, Oak Creek provides <br />domestic water for the City of Rockvale and one dwelling <br />along the creek bed. Farming in the valley is limited to <br />one hayfield adjacent to and owned by the City of Rockvale, <br />• Oak Creek continues through Rockvale in a northerly direction <br />to the Arkansas River in Florence, County Road No. 77 <br />occupies the Oak Creek Valley, <br />The mine site is totally surrounded to the east by under- <br />ground coal mines. Mining in the area started in the late <br />1800~s and continued until the original Twin Pines Mine was <br />worked to economic limits in October of 1981. Adjacent to <br />the proposed Twin Pines No. 2 Mine are the workings of the <br />Last Chance No. 2 Mine, Golden Quality No. 5 Mine, Cedar <br />Canon Mine, Twin Pines Mine and Caldirola No. 2 Mine, All <br />of the above-mentioned mines were worked in what is known as <br />the Brookside seam, Prior to 1970 the mines were primarily <br />developed to produce domestic coal by conventional room and <br />• pillar mining methods. The fine coal produced was sold as <br />steam coal to the local power company or other nearby <br />t2 <br />