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downfield operators has insured adequate production on the lands. Levels of production vary <br />greatly with the amount and degree of management inputs. Deeper soils on landforms that <br />are less steep and more uniform enhance irrigation water management with consequent <br />benefits to production. <br />Agricultural production is concentrated on irrigated hayland fereptand) -and irrigated pasture. <br />Irrigated cropland, at a lesser acreage than the previous two uses, is generally devoted to the <br />production of alfalfa and corn silage. The reduced contribution of cropland to the overall <br />acreage is a result of terrain, shallow soils, and the need of a hay base for livestock. Livestock <br />operations, both cattle and sheep, are important in the area. The irrigated hayland and <br />pasture resources provide hay base and winter feeding areas for herds that are run on <br />adjacent private, Bureau of Land Management (BLM), and Forest Service (USFS) rangeland <br />during the spring, summer, and fall months. In years past, orchard production was important <br />as evidenced by the number of abandoned orchards remaining in the area. Irrigated haylands <br />are primarily composed of alfalfa and various complimentary grasses such as orchardgrass <br />and smooth brome. Irrigated pastures are composed of a myriad of species, both desirable <br />and undesirable, due to irregular irrigation water application, lack of periodic tillage and <br />pasture renovation, low levels of management, and overuse. Swale, bog, or riparian areas <br />have developed in some areas as a result of irrigation water runoff (irrigation tailwater). All of <br />these areas have been classified in the pre -mine land use tables as irrigated pastureland, <br />since almost all of them receive runoff from irrigated croplands or pastures but are not <br />harvested or baled. Additionally, ground water recharged from irrigation, discharges at a <br />number of downslope areas as seeps and bogs. These are very minor in area. There was no <br />true dryland pasture in the pre -mine land use. All dry areas that had vegetation were either <br />some type of sagebrush dominated rangeland or pinon juniper community. Minor sagebrush <br />dominated native rangeland areas generally have been included in pastures that have had <br />intensive livestock use. This has resulted in an overstory of woody species and an understory <br />of undesirable annual and perennial weedy species. The original pinyon - juniper overstory in <br />these areas has essentially been removed. With the continued availability of adequate <br />irrigation water, irrigated hayland, pasture, and cropland, as well as the incidental plant <br />communities resulting from abundant water supplies, will continue to dominate the landscape <br />around Nucla. <br />(Revised October 2009) 2.04.10-17 <br />