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reclaimed areas will have only received associated disturbances during mining activities. The <br />• associated disturbance relates to topsoil removal forthe location of roads, stockpiles, facilities, and <br />regrading activities during reclamation. These areas were not flood irrigated prior to mining <br />because of shallow soils, rock outcrops, and topography. Since these areas will remain basically <br />unchanged in terms of topography, they will not be irrigated in the postmine land use except as <br />noted for vegetation establishment. The establishment of a dryland pasture type is consistent with <br />both the pre- and postmining land uses in the area and best reflects that which is attainable under <br />the expected site conditions and management potential. <br />The production standard for the dryland pasture type for the New Horizon 2 (NH2) area will be <br />based on the dryland reference area located at the Nucla Airport and was established in the <br />summer of 2000. See Section 2.04.10 for more details. The Airport Dryland Reference (ADPR) <br />area is shown in Attachment 2.05.4(2)(e) - 2 as well .The areas reclaimed to dryland pasture in <br />the NH2 area will have acceptable herbaceous production and cover when the reclaimed area is <br />not less than 90 percent of the reference area with 90 percent statistical confidence. <br />The Airport Dryland Reference area is located within the fenced boundaries of the Nucla Airport <br />• and is protected from domestic livestock grazing. Wildlife (deer, elk) winter grazing will stil bel <br />allowed, as is on the NH2 reclaimed land. If the airport authorities allow domestic grazing, then <br />W FC has an agreement with the airport authorities to fence off the three plus acre reference area <br />so the vegetation cover will not be compromised. <br />Production yield (tons per acre per year) for Dryland Pasture will be determined by a random <br />sampling method. This system will consist of: <br />1) Gridding the entire dryland pasture reclaimed field(s) being considered for bond release on <br />a 50 foot by 50 foot pattern. The grid blocks will be sequentially numbered from the upper <br />northwest corner to the lower southeast of each field. Only whole blocks will be numbered <br />for the purpose of use in the random generator discussed below. If there are separate fields, <br />then the block numbers will be combined into one data base. <br />2) The total acreage of the dryland pastureland being considered for production yield will be <br />measured and one sample will be taken for every four acres of field. For example, if the study <br />• (Revised 1-15-03) 2.05.4(2(@)-22 <br />