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Lithic Ustollic Haplargid. The main difference between these two is the distance to bedrock; Bond <br /> soils are shallow (17 to 19 inches to bedrock) while Progresso soils are fairly deep (36 inches to <br /> bedrock). This complex is found on gently to strongly sloping irrigated uplands over much of the <br /> New Horizon Mine 2 area. The soils are shallow to moderately deep, well drained sandy foams <br /> formed in sandstone derived alluvium. Topsoil quality is good to an average depth of 2.1 feet. <br /> The Barx soil is found in the southeast comer of the New Horizon Mine 2 permit area. It is classified <br /> as a fine-loamy, mixed, mesic Ustollic Haplargid. It is a deep, well drained sandy loam formed in <br /> sandstone derived alluvium. Part of this soil unit (about 15 acres) has been historically used for hay <br /> production,is irrigated with a dependable water supply,and was reclaimed as prime farmland but was <br /> recently declassified as prime farmland by the USDA - NRCS (Natural Resources Conservation <br /> Service). <br /> The ephemeral drainages of the New Horizon Mine 2 area contain three families of Haplaquoll soils; <br /> Lithic, Lithic/Typic, and Typic Haplaquolls. .The loamy, mixed, mesic, Lithic Haplaquolls are found <br /> in the upper reaches of the swales in the area and are the shallowest of the three series (bedrock at <br /> I inches). Lithic/Typic Haplaquolls (coarse-loamy, mixed, mesic. moderately deep Typic <br /> Haplaquolls) are found in the mid to lower reaches of the swales and exhibit good quality soil to a <br /> depth of about 24 inches. The fine-loamy, mixed, mesic, deep Typic Haplaquolls are found in the <br /> lower reaches of the swales and along Calamity Draw. These soils have sandy loam and loam <br /> textures to a depth of about four feet with sandy clay loam below that. The soils were classified as <br /> Haplaquolls because of soil wetness. However, this diagnostic factor is artificially induced because <br /> of irrigation water. The soils were formed in the alluvium of the swales. Fair to good quality topsoil <br /> exists in the swale areas in thicknesses from 1.2 to over 4 feet. <br /> Vegetation, Wildlife and Land Use <br /> Six general vegetation types are found on the New Horizon Mine 2 area: irrigated pasture, irrigated <br /> hay land, irrigated cropland (small grains), swafe/drainage, sagebrush/grass, and various miscellaneous <br /> types related to old farmsteads, abandoned orchards, and disturbed areas. The New Horizon 2 area <br /> is intensively used for agricultural. Irrigated agricultural land (pasture, hayland, and cropland) <br /> comprises 224.64 acres, or 67.6 percent of the total 332-acre permit area. The swale/drainage <br /> vegetation type accounts for 54.74 acres, or 16.48 percent of the total proposed permit area addition, <br /> while the upland area sagebrush/grass type covers 25.5 acres, or 7.68 percent. Roads and <br /> miscellaneous types account for the remainder of the land area, 27.18 acres, or 8.19 percent. <br /> The area surrounding the New Horizon Mine permit is used by a large variety of wildlife including <br /> coyotes, fox, mule deer, elk (in the winter) and numerous bird species. <br /> Description of the Operations and Reclamation Plan <br /> New Horizon Mine l <br /> The presently permitted New Horizon Mine 1 encompasses 327 acres of which 145.7 acres were <br /> affected my mining activities. Several areas of ungraded "pre-law" spoils existed when Peabody <br /> acquired the mine in 1963. These areas were subsequently reclaimed by the Inactive Mining Program <br /> 8 <br />