2014-01-13_REPORT - C1981041 - Laserfiche WebLink

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DIVISION OF RECLAMATION, MINING AND SAFETY Department of Natural Resources 1313 Sherman St., Room 215 Denver, Colorado 80203 Phone: (303) 866 -3567 FAX: (303) 832 -8106 January 13, 2014 Tonya K. Hammond J. E. Stover & Associates Snowcap Coal Company, Inc. P. O. Box 1430 Palisade, CO 81526 Re: Roadside Mine (Permit No. C- 1981 -041) 2012 Annual Hydrology Report Dear Ms. Hammond: STATE OF COLORADO COLORADO D I V I S ION OF RECLAMATION MINING SAFETY John W. Hickenlooper Governor Mike King Executive Director Loretta E. Pineda Director The Division of Reclamation, Mining and Safety (Division) has completed its review of the 2012 Annual Hydrology Report for Snowcap Coal Company's (SCC's) Roadside North and South Portals Mine. The frequency of data collection for surface and groundwater is in compliance with the approved monitoring plan contained in the permit document. The 2012 AHR is well organized and SCC collected, analyzed, and reported all required monitoring data for the 2012 Water Year. All sedimentation ponds have been reclaimed. Ponds 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 13 and CBA #1 and CBA #2 sumps were all reclaimed, regarded, and reseeded to their final configuration during 2011 through 2013. There are no permanent impoundments at the Roadside North and South Portals Mine and there was no discharge from CDPS discharge points 005 thru 015. The data presented in the 2012 AHR are consistent with the Probable Hydrologic Consequences (PHC) predictions for the mine site. Outfall 016 is the only active mine water discharge point. According to the data presented the increased TDS loading to the Colorado River when the river was at low flow stage is 0.18% which is slightly higher than the PHC prediction of a 0.1 % increase. This calculation is based on water flow and quality on the river monitored by the U.S. Geologic Survey Station No. 09095500 which is the closest station to the mine site located upstream approximately 7 miles to the northeast. The low flow for the Year was recorded as 1380 CFS on January 13, 2012. Comparing the calculated TDS load in the River at low flow and mine discharge near the same date, the maximum increase in the River's TDS as a result of mine discharge would have been 0.18 %. This is computation is a snapshot in time and represents a worst case scenario. Long -term discharge from outfall No. 016 is predicted to be approximately 200 -300 gpm, with a TDS of approximately 1500 mg/L. The mine discharge on January 10, 2012 (the closest monthly analysis), was 290 gpm @ 1310 mg/L TDS well within the PHC predicted range. Outfall 016 discharged a total of 816 tons of TDS to the river during Office of Office of Mined Land Reclamation Denver • Grand Junction • Durango Active and Inactive Mines