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"Walsh Environmental Scientists and Engineers, LLC Duffymont soils are Loamy - skeletal, mixed Lithic Haploborolls. Both soils are well - drained and moderately deep to shallow. The Loamy Breaks ecological site supports potential vegetation of Letterman's needlegrass, mountain big sagebrush, elk sedge, nodding brome, mountain brome, mountain snowberry, and slender wheatgrass. The minor soils are Tolman and similar soils, Hesperus and similar soils, Nortez and similar soils, and Morapos and similar soils. Map Unit 197: Torriorthents -Rock outcrop, Sandstone complex, 25 to 75 percent slopes The elevation for this mapping unit is 6,000 -8,000 feet amsl. Annual precipitation is 9- 17 inches and the frost -free period is 75 -105 days. Fifty -five percent of the map unit is Torriorthents and similar soils, 35 percent are rock outrcrop, and 10 percent minor components. Torriorthent soils are shallow and well - drained. These soils have not been assigned to an ecological site. The minor soil is Deep Loamy Soils and similar soils. 3.5.2 Alluvial Valley Floor General Regulations that were reviewed by Water Management Consultants (WMC) to determine the status of alluvial valley floors (AVFs) included, Regulations of the Colorado Mined Land Reclamation Board for Coal Mining (WMC 2005). The specific criteria are: • Rule 2, Section 06.8, which lists the criteria the State will use to make their AVF finding as well as permit requirements for operations on areas or adjacent to areas which include an AVF; and • Rule 4, Section 24, which lists the performance standards for operations on or affecting an AVF. "Of special interest in the arid and semiarid coal mining areas are alluvial valley floors which are the productive lands that form the backbone of the agricultural and cattle ranching economy of those areas. Agricultural and ranching operations which form the basis of the existing economic system of the region could not survive without hay production from naturally sub irrigated and flood irrigated meadows located in the alluvial valley floors." (U.S. House of Representatives, Committee on Interior and Insular Affairs, 1976). Provisions have been made in SMCRA and in the Regulations of the Colorado Mined Land Reclamation Board for Coal Mining (Regulations) to: • Define the term "alluvial valley floor" (AVF) and when the division will find that an AVF does exist; • Specify the studies required to determine if there is an AVF; • Specify the studies necessary for permit applications if an AVF is present; and • Specify the performance criteria that must be met by the operation if an AVF is present. P PROJECTS .(.k.,co.0ISS. EA Fin31 E41A1•,. EA ( 08 01 06 d.`c 21