1988-04-29_PERMIT FILE - C1981008A (55)

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• • use. Additionally, hayland is included under the cropland definition within Rule 1.04(31). The success standard for prime farmland irrigated hayland will be based on production only (4.15.9) and will be established through the use of target yield information (2.06.6(2)(g)). Target yields will be developed from Peabody controlled lands with irrigated Barx soils in alfalfa hayland production. This area is to be unmined and receives high levels of management by the operator, Mr. Staats. The target yield hayland is located in the SEYSE' /c, Section 6. Staats has estimated yield information for this field in a similar fashion to Peabody's hay production estimate method used during baseline studies. In 1987, Staats estimated an annual hay yield of approximately 6 tons /acre based on 19 loads x 70 bales /load x 68 pounds /bale divided by 7.8 acres ( Staats, personal communication, March 1988). This compares favorably with SCS map unit descriptions for the Barx soils. Peabody will collect two additional years of data from this site to be combined with Mr. Staats information in order to develop an average target yield base for success evaluations. The average annual yield for success evaluations will be determined from a minimum of 3 years data taken immediately prior to release. Revegetation of the prime farmland hayland will be considered successful when the three year average yield from the reclaimed areas is within 90 percent of the target yield value at 90 percent statistical confidence (2.06.6(2)(g), 4.15.9, 4.25.5(3)]. The prime farmland areas will be in cropland as soon as practicable following topsoil replacement tillage, seedbed preparation, and seeding. The areas identified as cropland in baseline studies (Tab 10) will be returned as grass hayland; hayland being included under the definition of cropland (1.04(31)). Grass hayland is to be used as the success evaluation because a permanent vegetative cover will result in a significantly reduced potential for erosion, the soils and site in question generally have lower capability classes and are susceptible to erosion, and the lands have not been historically managed for any normal yield of annual grains that could be reasonably expected from these lands. The proposed success standard is to be based on the collection of historical data from grass hay fields on Mr. Burbridge's property (SWYNW, Section 6) immediately west of the permit area . These fields contain similar soils and topography to the area in question (see Tab 9 "Soil Resources Survey "), are managed as grass hay, and were sampled during vegetation baseline studies (Tab 10). Three consecutive years of data collected from the 22 -30 Revised 07/25/91