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The Division has determined that Munger Canyon does not contain an alluvial valley floor. <br />The depth to ground water precludes subirrigation and surface water flows are prohibitively <br />low for use in successful irrigated agriculture without a means of retaining the flows. <br />Grand Valley Coal Company has not supplied information with respect to the presence of an <br />alluvial valley floor in the Big Salt Wash. Therefore, for the purpose of this findings <br />document, the Division will assume that there is a potential alluvial valley floor in the Big <br />Salt Wash. The following analysis will consider potential effects of the operation under this <br />assumption: <br />The only direct effects to the Colorado River could be from the Loma loadout which <br />occupies a rail siding along the D&RGW Railroad right-of-way near the town of Loma, <br />Colorado. This rail siding existed prior to the loadout, and was historically used as a loading <br />site for sugar beets. The total disturbed area at the loadout is 2.9 acres. <br />The loadout is roughly two miles from the Colorado River. All runoff, which only results <br />from direct precipitation over the 2.9 acre disturbance, will be contained at the site, and no <br />runoff will be discharged from the site. Due to the limited surface disturbance, the potential <br />impact of the loadout on the Colorado River alluvial valley floor is insignificant. <br />Alluvial Valley Floor Findings With Regard to Farming <br />The only identified alluvial valley floor area to be affected by mining operations lies within <br />the East Salt Creek alluvium. The central facilities area will affect approximately 43.4 acres <br />of the East Salt Creek AVF. The applicant has calculated the significance of this area to <br />farming in the pre-mining farming unit. The existing ranch runs approximately 793 animal <br />units. Based upon assumption that the 9.9 acres of juniper woodland does not lie within the <br />AVF, the applicant calculated that disturbance of this area would result in a loss in <br />production of 4.57 animal units. This amounts to a 0.6% loss of production during mining. <br />Data and calculations are contained in Volume VI, page 4-8. <br />Therefore, pursuant to Rule 2.06.8(5)(I), the Division finds that the proposed surface <br />facilities affect a small area of the alluvial valley floor which provides negligible support for <br />production of the farming unit. <br />With respect to Stove and Buniger Canyons, the unnamed tributary to East Salt Creek and <br />Big Salt Wash, there is no potential for the interruption, discontinuance, or preclusion of <br />farming on an alluvial valley floor. No underground development will pass beneath an <br />alluvial valley floor, nor will any surface disturbance occur in any of these areas. <br />Therefore, pursuant to Rule 2.06.8(5)(I), the Division finds that the proposed surface coal <br />mining operations will not interrupt, discontinue or preclude farming on an alluvial valley <br />floor. <br />40