2011-03-17_REVISION - C1981008 (2)

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Prior to TR-58, Irrigated Pasture (IP) in the reclaimed areas was managed to achieve the technical standard requirement of the permit, which was to achieve production of 1.5 tons per acre. Irrigation was applied using siderolls that were fed by the Western Lateral and Calamity Draw diversions of the Colorado Cooperative Company (CCC) ditch. In a typical year, ditch water was available from the later half of April to the first half of October. Irrigation start up and stop time was dependent on the CCC ditch flows, and varied by a couple weeks from year to year. Grazing was occasionally conducted on the Irrigated Pasture as part of contract farming, but was not conducted regularly. No grazing was conducted on any IP area until three years of growth had established root structure. The contract farmer was allowed to graze the vegetation to stubble, but otherwise managed the cattle as they saw fit. Following TR-58 approval, IP management was a little bit more specific, since the management of reclaimed areas had to be duplicated on the IP Reference Area. Beginning in 2007, the contract farmer grazed both the reclamation areas and the reference area to stubble each year, unless instructed not to by the mine management. From 15 to 30 head of livestock were used to graze the roughly 190 acres of irrigated pasture east of 2700 Road, including the areas covered in this Phase 3 bond release application. Roughly six head of live stock grazed on the IP Reference Area, again based on what the farmer believed would be most appropriate for getting the vegetation to stubble each year. Irrigation methods on the Reclaimed IP areas stayed the same following TR-58, with the addition of flood irrigation on the IP Reference Area at a rate of 10 shares for six acres. Irrigation has been applied to the Reclaimed IP areas at approximately the same rate. Fertilizer was applied to IP areas from 2000 to 2007, when the cost of fertilizing becamevery expensive. The general practice of the farmers in the area after 2007 was to stop using the fertilizer until the price dropped again. In keeping with local farming practices, WFC stopped using fertilizer for the IP areas after that date as well. Interseeding did not take place on IP areas. Dryland Pasture (DP) management did not change with TR-58. No livestock were allowed to graze on the DP areas, but wildlife have been known to graze on these areas. This was anticipated in the permit, and allowed for. Interseeding did not take place on DP areas. Annual reports submitted to DRMS contain further details regarding the year to year reclamation progress of an area. SL-12 CURRENT 11MAR1I.wpd 33