1986-06-13_GENERAL DOCUMENTS - C1981018

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• -21- In response to requirement's for additional information (Stipulation No. 8) , the permittee prepared and submitted a report entitled "Red Wash Drainage Basin Alluvial Valley Floor Study" to the Division on July 27, 1983. The emphasis of the report was to provide additional detailed information on the characteristics of the alluvial body and the availability of sufficient water to support agricultural activities. Based on information contained in the report and information supplied to the Division by the Meeker Office of the Soil Conservation Service regarding regional flood irrigation practices, the Division has made a negative alluvial valley floor determination for those portions of Red Wash situated within the Deserado Mine permit area. As such, the findings of the Division regarding the AVF determination for Red Wash and it's associated alluvium are hereby revised as follows: The Division has determined that Red Wash and its associated alluvium within Section 36, T73N, R101W and Section 1 , T2N, R101W meets the geomorphic criteria, but not the irrigation requirements of an AVF, as outlined in OSM's "Alluvial Valley Floor Guidelines" established pursuant to the Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act of 1977. Specifically, pursuant to Rule 2.06.8(3)(c) , the Division finds that there is not sufficient water to support agricultural activities. This is based on the • flowing evidence: A. Flood irrigation is not presently, and has not historically, been practiced in Red Wash (ERO Resources Coporation, 1982). B. The capability of the area to be flood irrigated is negligible as demonstrated by the SCS regional practices information. An SCS map entitled "Land Use and Natural Plan Communities, Rio Blanco County, Colorado" delineates irrigated agricultural land in Rio Blanco County. In the arid western half of Rio Blanco County, irrigated lands are primarily concentrated along the flood plain of the White River. The Red Wash drainage basin occupies 78,400 acres in northwestern Rio Blanco and southwestern Moffat Counties. Higher elevation portions of the drainage basin are characterized by juniper wwdland and sagebrush - grass vegetation, while clayey salt desert type vegetation predominates lower elevation portions of the watershed. Average annual precipitation within the Red Wash basin varies from 9 - 12 inches. Information in the permit application indicates that certain tributary drainages in the upper reaches of Red Wash are intermittent because ground water may enter the stream during the snowmelt season. Two stock watering ponds have been constructed in tributary drainages to the north and west of the AVF study area, but the ponds generally dry up during the summer. Red Wash, in the vicinity of the permit area, flows only for a short period in early spring due to snowmelt runoff, and in response to intense storm events during summer and fall . The SCS land use map indicates that no irrigation occurs along drainages in Rio Blanco County which are similar to Red Wash with respect to basin size, climate, soils and vegetation. Examples are Dripping Rock Drainage, Stinking Creek, Spring Creek and Fletcher Creek in western Rio Blanco County. Tributary drainages which do support irrigated agriculture are without exception characterized by higher precipitation headwater areas which support