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King Coal Mine; MT7 <br />Page 5 <br />January 5, 2015 <br />Document: first, the minimal activities proposed by the applicant will not interrupt, discontinue or <br />preclude farming on the alluvial valley floor that are irrigated or naturally subirrigated. Second, the <br />activities will not materially damage the quantity or quality of water in the surface or groundwater <br />system. Third, the mining and reclamation operations will be conducted to preserve the essential <br />hydrologic functions of the Hay Gulch alluvial valley floor within the affected area throughout the mining <br />and reclamation process. Section 2.06.8 of the permit appears to be adequate. <br />4.05.18; Stream Buffer Zones <br />Based on my review of permit Section 2.04.7 and 2.05.6 for the King I mine, there does not appear to be a <br />perennial, intermittent or ephemeral stream with a drainage area greater than one square mile within 100 <br />feet of disturbed land. According to Section 2.04.7 for the King II mine, the only significant surface <br />water feature within and adjacent to the project area is Hay Gulch irrigation ditch, but there are no <br />streams, lakes or ponds reported to be within the King II mine project area. It does not appear Rule <br />4.05.18 applies to this permit. <br />4.24; Operations in Alluvial Valley Floors <br />Based on the review of sections 2.06.8 of the permit discussed above, it appears the operation will protect <br />the essential hydrologic function of the Hay Gulch alluvial valley floor within and outside of the permit <br />area in accordance with Rule 4.24.2. Rule 4.24.4 requires that an environmental monitoring system be <br />installed, maintained and operated by the permittee on all alluvial valley floors during surface coal mining <br />and reclamation operations and continued until all bonds are released. The permit includes a surface and <br />ground water monitoring program discussed in sections 2.04.7 and 2.05.6 of the permit and included in <br />Appendix 1 I for the King I mine and section 2.05.6 of the King II mine. The operator monitors surface <br />water discharge at three NPDES discharge points which discharge into Hay Gulch. A monitoring well is <br />located in the alluvial valley floor and will be monitored quarterly in accordance with section 2.04.7 of <br />the permit. These monitoring systems appear to fulfill the requirement of Rule 4.24.4. A letter dated <br />April 21, 2014 indicates the Division as reviewed the 2011, 2012 and 2013 Annual Hydrology reports. <br />Based on this letter it appears the operator has been conducting the monitoring required for the surface <br />and ground water systems. Also, it does not appear the operation is interrupting, discontinuing or <br />precluding farming on the Hay Gulch alluvial valley floor nor causing material damage to the quality or <br />quantity of the waters in the surface and underground water system that supply the alluvial valley floor in <br />accordance with Rule 4.24.3(2) and (3). It does not appear the Rule 4.24.3(4) applies to this permit. <br />