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There are three active farmsteads or homesites within the study area and four inactive or <br />abandoned farmsteads or homesites. Only Morgan, Johnson and Martin currently live within <br />the permit boundary. Johnson has actually sold his property to WFC and will leave once mine <br />operations begin. The size of these farmsteads range from over three acres down to less than <br />one acre and include buildings, yards, corrals and other support facilities. Only the Johnson <br />property occurs on the better soil and more gentle topography of the study area. The <br />remainder are located on poorer soils that tend to be rocky and moderately deep to shallow, <br />though the topography tends to be relatively gentle. Vegetation in these areas consists of a <br />variety of annual and perennial exotic species, as well as remnant examples of the native plant <br />populations. Dominating the vegetation are large native and exotic shade trees, as well as <br />ornamental and exotic shrubs. A detailed survey for herbaceous species was not conducted in <br />the farmstead areas because of the numerous garden, ornamental, and other exotic species <br />normally found in these areas and the fact that these areas will be reclaimed as irrigated <br />pasture. <br />Two abandoned orchards occur within the study The dominant species in these orchards is <br />apple (Malus sylvestris), with peach (Prunus persica) and apricot (Prunus armeniaca) also <br />occasionally present. The orchards were established by Johnson and Morgan mostly for <br />family consumption and are located adjacent to the farmsteads. The trees still yield fruit but <br />are no longer managed for fruit production. The understory is predominated by herbaceous <br />species such as orchard grass, smooth brome, Kentucky bluegrass, quackgrass, plantains, <br />and dandelion. <br />Disturbed areas, a rather self descriptive term, included areas with heavy animal <br />concentrations, mechanical disturbance due to equipment operation, trash dumps, homestead <br />coal mining, and waste ground associated with various agricultural and support activities <br />Ponds and irrigation ditches of various capacities are scattered throughout the study area. A <br />large lateral ditch (West Lateral CC Ditch) runs through the study area, while several smaller <br />lateral ditches deliver water to the various irrigated fields, pastures and hay fields in the study <br />and permit area (see Section 2.04.7, Hydrology Description). The vegetation in or near these <br />ditches is dominated by many of the species that occur in the swale and irrigation pasture <br />vegetation types. Cottonwoods, box elder, cattails, and willows are prominent components of <br />Revised September 2010 (PR 06) 2.04.10 -81 <br />