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• Clarification of Prime Farmland Soils Designations - Morgan Property <br />United States Department of Agriculture <br />r6ww. <br />Nahrad Resoirc" conserv000n Sam" <br />Jun Boyd, Resmtoo Comervanomst Om.buydaccusda gov <br />R 0. Box 29 970-3274245.OFFiCF <br />N*NVWW, CO 814213 970.Z274247•FAX <br />August 4, 2009 <br />Dan Mathews <br />Division of Reel amation, Mining and Safety <br />101 S. 3" Street, Suite 301 <br />Grand Junction, CO 8 15o i <br />Dear Dan: <br />This letter is to further clarify our prime farmland soils oesignations for the New Horizon #2 .Mine <br />Tice NRCS definition of farmland is as follows <br />- Prime farmland, as defined by the kJ-S. Dcpartracrit of Agriculture. is land that has the beg eoulbir,jjioll of <br />• phyRical and chemical characteristics for producing food, feed, fbragc, fiber. and oilseed cropsand is available for <br />these uses. It could be cultivated land, pastureland, forestland, or other land, but it is not urbar or built-up land or <br />water arms. 7ille soil qualities, Wowing season, aud moisture supply are Those needed for the soil to economically <br />produce sustained high yields of7crops when proper martageraml. including water managefflati. and acceptable <br />farming mcillodi; are applied. In ge ncral. prime farmland has an adequate mid dependable supply ofujoisturc fironi <br />precipitation or irrigation. a favorable temperature and growing season, acceptable aridity or alkalinity, an <br />acceptable salt and sodium content, and few or no rocks. It is perrucable to witer and air. It is not excessively <br />erodible or saruvgod with water for long periods, and it either is not frequently flooded during the growing season or <br />isproicclodrromflooding, Slopes range mainly froin 0 to f> percent." <br />The Mor"i fields that NRCS dosignmod as prime farm meet Cite soil criteria in the definition, and have a <br />All prime farnitantis are subject to water availability, and <br />we suppose that the historic irrigation on the Niorgin property was - adequate and dependable to produce a crop <br />'llic NRCS believes that all are-as ofprimc farmland soils on lite atilic ptoperly should be reclaimed using file special <br />wit handling procedures we have worked on together far the past 2 ycum If, during reclamation. there art portions <br />of these prime fanuland soils where adequate irrigation water is not available to grow a crop, clen technically they <br />lose their prime farmland starts. in this situation. it is unrealistic for these areas to be hold to cropland production <br />goal- Alternatively. the reclaimed vegetative community could be a mixturcofdrought tolcrautgrames and forbs, <br />and ticsgnated as drytand pasture. Ir as a latter dam adequate irrigation water becomes available for these funds <br />they would again be considered pcimc fartaland. particuarly since the snails have been reclaimed accordingly. <br />Sincerely, <br />Jim Boyd, NRCS Resource Conservationist <br />• Lb Cc sww and SUOUIR nah"al p tamt, An Equal Opporlah4 P-,-W- and E,pl.,., <br />