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reclaimed areas will have only received associated disturbances during mining activities. The <br />associated disturbance relates to topsoil removal for the location of roads, stockpiles, facilities, and <br />regrading activities during reclamation. These areas were not flood irrigated prior to mining <br />because of shallow soils, rock outcrops, and topography. Since these areas will remain basically <br />unchanged in terms of topography, they will not be irrigated in the postmine land use except as <br />noted for vegetation establishment. The establishment of a dryland pasture type is consistent with <br />both the pre- and postmining land uses in the area and best reflects that which is attainable under <br />the expected site conditions and management potential. <br />The production standard for the dryland pasture type for the New Horizon 2 (NI-12) area will be <br />based on a dryland reference area located at the Nucla Airport. This area was originally <br />established in the summer of 2000 and augmented in 2005. The augmentation allows the <br />reference area to be divided into two sections: one for rangeland and the other for dryland pasture. <br />See Section 2.04. 10 for more details. The Airport Dryland Reference (ADPR) area is shown in <br />Attachment 2.05.4(2)(e) - 2 as well . The areas reclaimed to dryland pasture in the NI-12 area will <br />have acceptable herbaceous production and cover when the reclaimed area is not less than 90 <br />percent of the reference area with 90 percent statistical confidence. <br />The Airport Dryland Reference area is located within the fenced boundaries of the Nucla Airport <br />and is protected from domestic livestock grazing. Wildlife (deer, elk) winter grazing will stil bel <br />allowed, as is on the NH2 reclaimed land. If the airport authorities allow domestic grazing, then <br />W FC has an agreement with the airport authorities to fence off the three plus acre reference area <br />so the vegetation cover will not be compromised. <br />Production yield (tons per acre per year) for Dryland Pasture will be determined by a random <br />sampling method. This system will consist of: <br />1) Gridding the entire dryland pasture reclaimed field(s) being considered for bond release on <br />a 50 foot by 50 foot pattern. The grid blocks will be sequentially numbered from the upper <br />northwest corner to the lower southeast of each field. Only whole blocks will be numbered <br />for the purpose of use in the random generator discussed below. If there are separate fields, <br />then the block numbers will be combined into one data base. <br />(Revised 7/2005) 2.05.4(2)(e) - 22 <br />