Laserfiche WebLink
livestock grazing and wildlife habitat. The reclaimed lands have vegetative cover composed of a <br />variety of grasses, forbs, and woody shrubs. The seasonality and forage characteristics of the <br />vegetative species are suitable for the approved post- mining land use. No significant weed problems <br />or bare areas were identified. <br />The revegetation success standards were based on what would be necessary for the land to properly <br />function as grazing and wildlife habitat. Based on the achievement of the requirements, the Division <br />finds that the revegetation on the Peabody Sage Creek Mine reclaimed areas is capable of supporting <br />the approved post- mining land use. <br />Evaluation of Hydrologic Impacts <br />In accordance with Section 3.03.2(2), the Division has evaluated whether pollution of surface or <br />subsurface water is occurring, and the probability of future occurrence of such pollution. The <br />evaluation considered information in the following documents: the Probable Hydrologic <br />Consequences section of the permit application, Annual Hydrology Reports submitted by the <br />operator, the Division's Annual Hydrology Report review memoranda, and documents in the SL -03 <br />bond release application and file. The results of the evaluation are summarized below. <br />Basic Standards Interim Narrative Standard for Ground Water (CWQCC Regulation <br />41.5(c)(6)) <br />The Peabody Sage Creek Mine alluvial ground water point of compliance ( GWPOC) in the Fish <br />Creek alluvium is well SFAL72, located less than one mile downstream from the Bond Creek <br />confluence with Fish Creek. A review of the statistical summary of the water quality of SFAL72 was <br />completed based on water quality data presented in the Annual Hydrology Reports for the Peabody <br />Sage Creek Mine. Well SFAL72 was permitted as the GWPOC in Technical Revision No. 47 (TR- <br />47) associated with the Seneca II Mine (C -1980 -005) approved in 2009 and included in the transfer <br />of permitted lands to the Peabody Sage Creek Mine. Based on the data collected, ambient values for <br />SFAL72 were found to be higher than the Colorado Water Quality Control Commission Regulation <br />41 standards for iron, manganese, nitrate, and sulfates. For the past three years (2011 to 2013), the <br />only standard that was exceeded was iron (0.35 mg /1, dissolved), with values ranging between 2.88 <br />and 5.16 mg /1. However, total recoverable iron values, which should be greater than or equal to total <br />dissolved values, were less than 0.32 mg /1 for the last three years upstream at all spoil springs <br />(SSSPGI and SSSPG2) and in the NPDES discharge (NPDES4). Therefore, the high iron values <br />observed at Well SFAL72 are not likely to be the result of discharges from the Peabody Sage Creek <br />Mine. <br />The Peabody Sage Creek Mine does not have a groundwater point of compliance for ground water in <br />bedrock stratigraphic units, based on the absence of the potential for the mine to negatively impact <br />the quality of bedrock ground water. The low hydraulic conductivities of the bedrock units and <br />confining layers isolate mine - impacted water bearing units from the nearest usable aquifer, the Trout <br />Creek Sandstone, which lies approximately 300 to 400 feet below the Wadge Coal seam and <br />approximately 60 to 100 feet below the Wolf Creek Coal seam. <br />