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distance separating the mine from the river is sufficient to mitigate any impacts. In <br />addition, the amount of flow contributed by Tuttle Draw and Calamity Draw to the <br />San Miguel River is very small (0.4 percent of annual mean flow at Uravan). <br />Therefore, the San Miguel River AVFs are considered to be located outside of the <br />potentially affected area. <br />XI. Operations on Prime Farmland <br />Based on information presented in soil surveys included in the permit application and <br />the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) San Miguel Area Soil Survey, as <br />well as correspondence from and consultation with NRCS staff, the Division has <br />determined that prime farmland soils, which are Prime Farmland when cropped and <br />irrigated with a dependable water supply, occur in various locations within the NH-2 <br />portinn of the NPAz7 T4nri2nn Permit Area Tl?ece prime farmland 3o:ls (pntentlal Panne <br />Farmlands) include soil map units D70, D70B, 98E, and 98A, within the NH-2 portion <br />of the permit area,, as delineated on permit Map 2.04.9-1. <br />The current status of prime farmland soil areas with respect to Prime Farmland <br />designation is as follows: <br />Designated Prime Farmland <br />Map Unit 98A (Begay Fine Sandy Loam) which occurs on 3.52 acres in the northwest <br />corner of the NH-2. permit area block was determined to be Prime Farmland, based on <br />NRCS determination that the site was historically cropped and irrigated (see NRCS <br />Resource Conservationist letter dated June 27, 2008, in permit Attachment 2.04.9-10-4). <br />Based on the actual. areal extent of disturbance and practical considerations, the Division <br />has designated a slightly larger (4.68 acre) area incorporating the 98A parcel as Prime <br />Farmland, as indicated on permit Map 2.05.4-4. <br />Determined Not To Be Prime Farmland <br />• Small areas of Darvey-Bari (98E) and Begay (98A) soils located north of BB Road <br />and west of: 2700 Road, in the NH-2 permit area block have been evaluated and <br />determined to not meet the Prime Farmland criteria, because they historically <br />were not managed as cropland and lacked sufficient water for proper irrigation <br />(see NRCS Resource Conservationist letter dated June 27, 2008, in Attachment <br />2.04.9-10-4). <br />• Areas of D70B soils (Barx Sandy Loam, Barx-Bari Scalped-Bari Buried <br />Complex), located within the NH-2 permit block to the east of 2700 Road and <br />south of BB Road, were determined not to meet the Prime Farmland criteria, <br />because of the lack of an adequate and dependable supply of irrigation water (see <br />NRCS District Conservationist letter of October 14, 1992, in permit Attachment <br />2.04.9-6-2)., Mining and reclamation operations were conducted and completed <br />with the understanding, that the October 14, 1992 determination also applied to <br />45