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West Elk Mine <br />shed aids in monitoring the chlorine levels hi the treated water entering the mine's potable water <br />distribution system. <br />Demand for water at the mine is expected to increase in the future. With the estimated <br />maximum 8.2 million tons (plus) per year production at West Elk Mine, MCC conservatively <br />estimates that as much as 300 acre feet per year but a likely maximum of 150 acre feet per <br />year (based on 250 work days) of fresh water will be required. Prior to installation of the <br />longwall, annual coal production was 600,000 tons per year. At this rate, water needs were <br />about 65 acre -feet per year. The Annual Hydrology Reports submitted to the CDRMS each <br />year contain specific data on the amount of water consumed annually at the mine since 1982. <br />Water used at West Elk Mine comes from adjudicated water rights owned by MCC. Table 33 <br />summarizes MCC's rights. The rights are used according to Colorado Water Laws administered <br />by the District No. 4 Water Commissioner. MCC also has available (for use or augmentation) <br />non- tributary water rights and storage water rights (not shown in Table 33) for the water <br />generated from the mine and stored in sumps maintained within the underground mine. <br />- - - -- - — - --- - - - - -- <br />Table 33 -- <br />Summary of Mountain Coal Company's Water Rights for the Elk Mine <br />Source of Water <br />_West <br />Water Rights <br />Mt. Gunnison Pipeline <br />_ <br />15.00 cubic feet per second <br />0.9 cubic feet per second <br />_ <br />Tony Bear Pipeline <br />Chipmunk Ditch <br />_ <br />1.0 cubic feet per second <br />Walter Gallob Ditch <br />_ <br />0.75 cubic feet per second <br />Sedimentation Ponds: <br />MB -3 <br />MB-5E <br />0.23 acre -feet <br />19.59 acre -feet' <br />Freshwater Ponds: <br />FW -1 _ <br />9.98 acre -feet <br />FW-2 <br />1 13.66 acre -feet2 <br />Mt. Gunnison Tunnel <br />0.49 feet per second <br />Notes 1. The DWR approved an application filed in 08(09 to combine the adjudicated water storage rights of former ponds MB -1 and MB -2 into new <br />pond M8 -5E. <br />2. This 13 66 acre -feet includes 3 68 acre -feet from the former MB -1 storage right in this pond location and 9 98 acre -feet from the original FW -2 <br />conditional stor r ht bein arfecte_f in the a lication above <br />The water distribution system at West Elk Mine contains several major components. They <br />include the raw water intake gallery and pumps, HDPE, cast or steel utility piping, freshwater <br />storage ponds FWA and FW -2 (formerly sediment pond MB -1), potable water treatment plant, <br />mine water pumps, a 1.2 million gallon mine water storage tank, freshwater pumps, a 175,00 <br />gallon potable water tank, and fire suppression systems. Freshwater pond FW -2 serves as a <br />secondary storage pond that provides additional raw water storage volume that can be pumped to <br />freshwater pond FW -1 and then into the potable water treatment and /or distribution systems. <br />Raw (untreated) water is pumped into the mine from freshwater pond FW -1 by pumps located in <br />the water treatment plant. Water is used in the mine for dust suppression, supplying fire <br />suppression systems and for the longwall shields hydraulic fluids. <br />05 -20 Rei 06, 05 0106 03 06, 04,'06 & 05'06- PRIG, 01 09- AIR3i0, lid 09- I'R116, 04 09- 1IR353. 0i 09- 1IR35 1. U8 0%- 17t11,i <br />08 0v- TR119, t)9.1i- b/R387 11:12- 1IR390 <br />