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3.0 Postmining Land Use <br />Land use and baseline vegetation studies (Sections 2.04.3 and 2.04.10) conducted during 1987 <br />and 1999, as well as results from interviews with local operators in the area, showthatthe pre - <br />mine land use is agriculture based in part on irrigation. Many of the areas designated as irrigated <br />pasture in the pre -mine vegetation study were abandoned or only partially irrigated. Vegetation <br />types such as the Swale /drainage type are present as a result of irrigation in the area and are <br />used, where possible, in a similar fashion to irrigated pasture. Baseline studies also showed that <br />Pastureland Irrigated Hay and Pastureland Irrigated Grass are very similar in composition in many <br />cases and may be used interchangeably depending on the operator's needs. After several years <br />of production following renovation, the hay fields become dominated by grasses and are slowly <br />invaded by species such as Kentucky bluegrass (Poa pratensis) and buckhorn plantain (Plantago <br />/anceo /ata). The Pastureland Irrigated Hay fields are used as pasture during various periods in <br />the year based on operator needs. In most cases management is not at a high level. Other than <br />farmsteads, facilities, and a small abandoned orchard, the sagebrush types makes up the balance <br />of the disturbance area. This type reflects disturbance of the original sagebrush type and pinyon - <br />juniper vegetation and the intensity of use from associated agricultural activities. These <br />sagebrush areas are not irrigated and are located on mesa tops where it is impractical to get <br />irrigation water via ditches and on steep mesa sides. <br />The postmining land use will be similar to the pre- mining land use - primarily agriculture using <br />irrigation and dryland pasture. These two pasture types will be the highest percentage of any <br />postmining vegetation type. Certain lands, particularly many of those tracts to the north of BB <br />Road and west of 2700 Road, were originally classified to be restored as Reclaimed Irrigated <br />Pastureland, but this was not valid since the water was simply not available to provide proper <br />irrigation on the total area of these lands. Additionally, Western Fuels wishes to reclaim most of <br />it's land west of 2700 Road as dryland pasture. For these reasons, a portion of these lands have <br />been re- classified as dryland pasture for Permit Revision 06 of 2009 -2010. <br />Permit Revision 06 involves the reclassifying of areas throughout the New Horizon 2 mine area <br />west of 2700 Road. The acreages of post mining land uses have changed significantly. The post <br />mine land use areas were altered due to a reevaluation of water availability and the desire of <br />Western Fuels to reclaim land it owns to dryland pasture. The post mine land use areas now <br />(Revised: PR -06) 2.05.4(2)(e) - 6 <br />