Laserfiche WebLink
f / A <br /> VII . Post-mining Land Use <br /> A. The Division is proposing to approve alternative post-mining land <br /> uses of irrigated hayland , irrigated pasture and dryland pasture <br /> for the proposed New Horizon Mine 2 area. <br /> VIII . Protection of Fish, Wildlife and Related Environmental Values <br /> A. Fish and wildlife habitat is a planned post-mining land use. The <br /> applicant has selected appropriate plant species and distributions <br /> to benefit fish and wildlife (4. 18(4)( i )) . <br /> IX. Operations on Alluvial Valley Floors <br /> A. The Division has determined that there are no alluvial valley <br /> floors along Tuttle or Calamity Draws by definition . <br /> Geomorphically, these draws are located in uplands several miles <br /> northeast of the San Miguel River. The uplands are overlain by <br /> less than ten feet of unconsolidated material , which has been <br /> classified as aeolian and sheet wash material . (The depths of <br /> unconsolidated material are documented in Appendix 6-1 . ) These <br /> draws would only have intermittent flow if it were not for <br /> irrigation return flows and the areas are not naturally <br /> subirrigated. <br /> These areas are flood-irrigated by waters acquired from a headgate <br /> on the San Miguel River, located approximately 15 miles upstream. <br /> San Miguel River water quality (TDS of 180 mg/1 ) is far better than <br /> that round in either Tuttle (TDS of 1200 mg/1 ) or Calamity Draws <br /> (TDS of 1950 mg/1 ) . Water from Tuttle or Calamity Draws could not <br /> be used for agriculture without very controlled management. <br /> The San Miguel River could support several potential alluvial <br /> valley floors . However, since the mine areas are two-and-a-half to <br /> three miles upstream, the distance separating the mine from the <br /> river is sufficient to mitigate any impacts . In addition, the <br /> amount of flow contributed by Tuttle Draw and Calamity Draw to the <br /> San Miguel River is very small (0.4 percent of annual meanflow at <br /> Uravan) . Therefore , the San Miguel River AVFs are considered to be <br /> located outside of the potentially affected area. <br /> X. Operations on Prime Farmland <br /> A. Comparisons to determine revegetation success shall be based on <br /> crop production standards which the Division proposes to approve <br /> (4.25.2(3) ) . The production standard will be based on three years <br /> of production data from well managed hayland directly west of the <br /> proposed permit area. First year results (1987) indicate that <br /> about 6.0 tons per acre per year can be expected as a production <br /> success standard. <br /> B. The Division proposes to approve the planting of a perennial crop <br /> to be used as hay on prime farmlands . This has been shown to be a <br /> common long-term use of prime farmlands in the surrounding area <br /> (4.25.5(2) ) . <br /> 7192F <br /> 4/19/93 <br /> -22- <br />