2011-08-04_ENFORCEMENT - C1981008 ‎(4)‎

• Permit No: C1981008
• IBM Index Class Name: ENFORCEMENT
• Doc Date: 8/4/2011
• Doc Name: OSM Technical Review of PR6 Prime Farmland Yield - Morgan Property
• From: OSM
• To: DRMS
• Email Name: SB1
• Email Name: DAB
• Email Name: MLT
• Media Type: D
• Archive: No

Source
Prime
Soils
Non -Prime
Soils
Weighted
Yield
Total Yield tons /ac
NRCS State Soil Scientist'
5.5*
4.5*
5.37*
579.8
CSU Agricultural Extension
Agents&
4.5
485.8
NASS (note this is a countywide average)
3.6
388.7
Table 2.04.10 -18- Permit studies;
text page 2.04.10 -60 (1 Cutting)
- - --
- - --
4.26
459.9
Permit Standard (1 Cutting)
1.84
198.6
Turner Fax 22 Mar 11
5
539.8
•
For comparative purposes, OSM has prepared the following table summarizing information
related to yields in the area of Permit C- 008 -81.
Source.
1. Soil yields for the Morgan Property was provided by the NRCS to OSM in a 4 Apr 20 11 cover letter shown in
Appendix C. '`In this case the NST, 98D Bowbac - Bowdish and 98E Darvey -Barx soils all have a yield of 5.5
tons /ac; whereas the 98F Haplargids- Endoaquepts soils are listed as "non prime" with a yield of 4.5 tons /ac of
grass hay, not alfalfa. OSM then calculated a weighted yield by percent soil types on the Morgan property for
illustrative purposes. Due to the significantly contrasting, at times irrelevant, and often confusing
information within the permit text, OSM views the NRCS's estimate to be the most reliable for use in
setting a target yield for the Morgan property. The methods used in developing this yield estimate are
commonly used in the mining industry and commonly accepted by regulatory authorities.
2. Personal Communication with Mr. Bob Hammon and Mr. Ron Godin on 17 and 28 March
2011. Both indicated an average expected yield for the Nucla area would be somewhere between 4-
5 tons /acre with an upper expectation not to exceed 6 -7 tons /ac. A mid -range 4.5 tons /ac was chosen for
illustrative purposes here.
3. NASS is the National Agricultural Statistics Service. All Available data for Irrigated Alfalfa
yields for Montrose County (1980 -1982, 1987 -2006) was averaged.
4. Fax received by OSM on 22 March 2011 from Ms. JoEllen Turner.
17