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Clarification of Prime Farmland Soils Designations - Morgan Property <br />United States Department odd Agriculture <br />o NRCS <br />Naturaa Resouces Rorrsmv*Wn Service <br />Jinn Boyd, Resound OwmarvaDw ist pm.boyd(lco.usdawgov <br />P. 0. Sox 29 970,W-4245-OFFICE <br />Nor wood, CO 81423 970327.4247 -FAX <br />August 4, 2009 <br />Tian Mathews <br />Division of Reclamation. Mining and 3afrxy <br />101 S 3° Street, Suite 301 <br />Grand Junction. CO 81541 <br />Dear Dan: <br />This letter is to further clarify our prime Qmdand soils designations for the New Ho izat N2 Mint <br />the NRCS definition of prime farmland is as follows, <br />"Prime farmland, as defined by the U.S.. Department ofAgriculturc, is land that has the best combit.ation or <br />physical and chemical characteristics for producing, food, feed. forage tiber, and oilseed crops and is available for <br />these: uses. h. could be cultivated laud, pastureland, forestland, or other land, but it is not urban or built -up land or <br />water areas. the soil qualities, growing scasat, and moisture supply are those needed for the soil to economically <br />produce sustained high yields of mops when proper management, including water management, and acceptable <br />farming methods are applied. In general, prime farmland has an adequate and dependable supply ofmoisture from <br />precipitation or irrigation, a favorable temperature and growing atom, acceptable acidity or alkalinity. an <br />acceptable salt and sodium contest, and few or no rocks. It is permeable to water and air. u is not excessively <br />erodible to saturated with water for tong periods, and it either is not frequently hooded during the growing statson or <br />is protected Brom flooding. Slopes range mainly from 0 to 6 percent" <br />Vie Morgan fields that NRCS designated as prime farmland meet the soil criteria in the definition, and have a <br />history of irrigation, as evident from aerial photography. Ali prime Gtnntauds are subject to mater availability, and <br />we suppose that the historic irrigation on the Morgan property was "adequate and dependable" to produce a crop <br />economically. <br />'rite NRCS believes that all areas ofprime farmland soils on the mine property should be reclaimed using the special <br />soil handling procedures we have worked on together for Qto past 2 years. I& during reclamation, there arc portions <br />or these prune farmtutd soils where adequate irrigation water is not available to grow a crop, then technically they <br />lose their prime farmland status. In this situation, it is unrealistic for these areas to be held to a cropland production <br />goal_ Alternatively, the reclaimc vegetative community could be a mixture of drought tolerant grasses and forbs, <br />and design" as drydand pasture. U: at a latter date, adequate irrigation water becomes available for these lauds <br />they would again be considered prime Pmudatd. particularly since the soils have beat reclaimed accordingly. <br />Sincerely, <br />Jim Boyd, NRCS Resource Conservationist <br />The Nalural Rrawtce Comarm ion Service waft in paebrareMp with the Armiten People <br />b cie sor" eml sua4la naturel mt w tea an prinde tends. M Equal OppalurAy Provider and Employer. <br />Attachment 2.05.4(2)(e) -11 -10 <br />