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• In a general sense, alluvial valley floors are areas in the <br />Western United States which (1) are located in those topographic <br />valleys having an associated stream channel, (2) are underlain by <br />unconsolidated deposits whose surface usually has the landform <br />appearance of flood plains or terraces, and (3) have an <br />agricultural importance derived from the availability of surface <br />or ground water. The ultimate goal of alluvial valley floor <br />identification investigations is to identify stream valleys which <br />have agricultural importance and where that importance is derived <br />from the water available in those valleys. Stream valleys which do <br />not have any agricultural importance or whose importance is not <br />related to the greater water availability of the valley are not <br />alluvial valley floors. <br />Although the Oak Creek stream valley in the vicinity of the Edna Mine <br />meets criteria (1) and (2) of the above referenced citation, the (3) criteria <br />which is also reiterated and emphasized at the end of the citation is not met. <br />The mapping of the agricultural lands, Exhibit 2.9-1, bears out the fact that <br />agricultural practices are not performed in the Oak Creek stream valley in the <br />vicinity of the mine. <br />To assist in providing a better understanding of the lack of <br />agricultural importance of the Oak Creek stream valley in the vicinity of the <br />Edna Mine, a field reconnaissance of the Oak Creek stream valley was performed <br />in 1978 from an upstream location at the Town of Oak Creek in Section 31, T4N, <br />R85W (approximately three miles upstream of the permit boundary) to a <br />downstream location in Section 33, TSN, R85W (approximately three miles <br />downstream of the permit boundary). The information gathered from this survey <br />has been condensed to address only the valley 200' north and south of the <br />existing Edna Mine permit boundaries. <br />From the N 1/2, NE 1l2, Section 30 to the N 1/2, Section 19, T4N, R85W, <br />the Oak Creek valley bottom has been radically altered to accommodate the Old <br />Keystone Mine, railroad, and existing Edna Mine loadout facility. The stream <br />channel has been straightened by the railroad with remnants of the Keystone <br />loadout facility occupying portions of the alluvium. The railroad crosses Oak <br />Creek in the SE 1/4, Section 19 using two six-foot diameter culverts. Below <br />the culverts on the west side of the railroad tracks there is four to five <br />feet of ballast on top of the alluvium. The ballast is sandstone boulders and <br />`J <br />4.6-61(b) April 21, 1994 <br />