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achieved under a high level of management (irrigated): corn silage - 22 tons /acre, alfalfa hay - <br />5.5 tons /acre, grass hay - 4.5 tons /acre, oats - 80 bushels /acre, and barley - 110 bushels /acre. <br />For the Progresso series (map unit 30C), the following values may be attainable under a high <br />level of management (irrigated): corn silage 18 tons /acre, alfalfa - 5 tons /acre, grass hay - 4 <br />tons /acre, oats 70 bushels /acre, and barley - 110 bushels /acre. Interviews during 1987 with <br />the operator managing the cropland areas indicated that the actual yields are much lower. It <br />was estimated by this operator that corn silage production was 13 tons /acre, barley was 60 <br />bushels /acre, with wheat as high as 30 bushels /acre; all values indicating a lower level of <br />management applied or reflecting poorer site conditions than what the soil survey indicates, or <br />a .combination of both. Observations of the condition of these cropland fields during 1987 <br />support the contention that these lands receive only an average level of management at best. <br />The cropland area in the western portion of the permit area has been managed by Mr. Frank <br />Morgan for approximately 20 years (personal communication, August 1988). During that <br />period he has not managed for any yield level, has not maintained any formal data on yields, <br />and has many times used the lands for grazing and haying of annual grains. The lands have <br />also been fallowed periodically. Recent examples are the fallow condition of the fields in 1987 <br />and the last minute decision to graze seeded annual grains by sheep in 1988. The Agricultural <br />Stabilization and Conservation Service (ASCS) office in Montrose, Colorado has no historic <br />farm based yield numbers for the cropland fields within the permit area (personal <br />communication, ASCS office August 1988). <br />Mr. Morgan estimated that the cropland within the western portion of the permit area yields <br />about 60 bushels per acre for barley and 20 -25 bushels per acre for winter wheat. Mr. Zene <br />Weimer, one of the better farm operators in the Nucla area, was contacted because of his <br />familiarity with the lands in question (personal communication, August 1988). Surprisingly, his <br />independent estimate of yields for the cropland area in the permit area was similar to <br />Morgan's. An estimate of potential grass hay production may be gained from evaluation of the <br />hay fields just north of the cropland areas within the permit area (discussed earlier in this <br />section). These hay fields have similar site conditions and soils as the cropland areas, the <br />majority being mostly Progresso complex soils (Map Unit 30C). The hayland north of the <br />cropland in the permit area is dominated by grasses. Table 2 -5 in Attachment 2.04.10 -6, <br />formerly Peabody Appendix 10 -2, shows estimated hay yields for these fields to be 1,168 <br />Revised September 2010 (PR 06) 2.04.10 -51 <br />