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mining activities and all irrigated lands south of the county bypass road and west of the north -south <br />county road had been abandoned. The Nucla Mine (composed of the Nucla and Nucla East areas) <br />was purchased by WFC in 1992. The name was changed to the New Horizon Mine (with New <br />Horizon 1 and New Horizon 2 areas corresponding to the Nucla and Nucla East areas respectively). <br />Existing land use on the NH1 mine permit area is predominated by irrigated pasture, native <br />rangeland and reclamation of old coal mine areas. <br />It has been a normal practice for farmers to historically move waterfrom one field to anotherwithin <br />their property or sell water to other people in the area to allow them to irrigate another field for <br />some time interval. Map 2.04.3 Pre -Mine Land Use shows the uses recorded by Peabody for the <br />permit area south of BB Road and east of 2700 Road. This was the original permit area. The <br />amended permit area includes all other areas from the study done in 1998. The aerial photo <br />included on Map 2.04.10 -1 Pre -Mine Vegetation, shows the site in 1998. <br />Table 2.04.3 -1 "Acreages by Land Use, New Horizon Mine Permit Area" lists the various land uses <br />within the permit area and the corresponding acreages. A discussion of these various land uses <br />follows. <br />Note: for the 2006 Mid Term Review, pre -mine land uses have been classified according to the <br />listings in Rule 1.04 and a new map has been added to show these uses. This map is Map 2.04.3 <br />Pre -Mine Land Use. Swale Drainage areas are now listed as Pastureland - Irrigated - Swale <br />(IPSW). Ponds are called Developed WaterResource- Ponds. There are no Facility areas. Cropland <br />consists of irrigated orchards aCOL and irrigated alfalfa hay IBC_( areas that are extensively <br />managed. There are other crop areas in the vicinity for silage corn but none in the permit area. <br />Pastureland consists of Irrigated Pasture that is some mix of alfalfa and/or grass hays The-fon?w <br />We believe that one area of formerifrigaled Hayland should be classified as Irrigated Cropland on <br />the Morgan property due to consistent baling of hay and good soils. The majority of soils on the <br />Morgan property in the permit area are prime farmland soils, as determined by the NRCS in 2008. <br />(Revised Sept 09) 2.04.3 -8 <br />