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i <br /> Approximately one foot of topsoil and three feet of subsoil was removed, stored separately <br /> and will be replaced. As soil is being replaced, each 12- to 18-inch lift will be scarified to <br /> reduce compaction, increase infiltration, promote surface roughness, and produce a more <br /> favorable plant root growth medium. The prime farmland arras will then be revegetated <br /> with species suitable for hay production and will be used for irrigated hayland. <br /> Water Rights and Usage <br /> The water rights, usage and augmentation plan is presented in Section 2.05.6(3) of the <br /> permit application. There are 11 surface water rights which have the potential of being <br /> impacted by Western Fuels operations at New Horizon Mine 2. These are upgradient of <br /> proposed Sediment Pond 007 at the site. There are 29 water wells adjacent to the mine sites. <br /> Of these, just two, W-009 and D-041 on Figure 2 of Tab 16, could be impacted by future <br /> mining activities at the New Horizon 2 site. These two wells are 150 feet or less deep and <br /> derive their water from near surface aquifers. At the end of five years of operation, Western <br /> Fuels estimated that drawdown might be one foot within a 0.7 mile radius of the center of <br /> the New Horizon 2 pit. Western Fuels proposes, with owner consent, to monitor these wells <br /> to detect any changes in their hydrologic conditions. <br /> Western Fuels-Colorado will use the following alternative water sources to mitigate any <br /> ground or surface water right impacts. Western Fuels has available 114.5 acre-feet of <br /> surface water, which is a consumptive use credit associated with Western Fuels' ownership <br /> of 27 shares of the Colorado Cooperative Company (CCC). Western Fuels has an absolute 4 <br /> acre-foot storage right for the 001 reservoir at the New Horizon 1 mining area and is <br /> projected to have 18 acre-feet of pit pumpage during the non-irrigation season available to <br /> them for use. Western Fuels also has a 1.5 acre-foot ground water right associated with the <br /> mined-out shop well. <br /> It is from these alternative sources of water that the surface water augmentation plan has <br /> been developed. No ground water impacts requiring mitigation are forecast. However, <br /> should a ground water supply be diminished to such an extent that it precludes its use, <br /> Western Fuels will replace this supply with surface water available to them (only 62.1 of the <br /> 114.5 acre-feet of CCC water is required for the surface water augmentation plan) or will <br /> replace the well. <br /> The monitoring plan is described in Part II, Section B, Item I.B., of this Findings Document. <br /> It is adequate to show any impacts on adjacent water rights to the New Horizon Mine sites. <br /> Western Fuels-Colorado has shown that it has adequate water rights to mitigate any <br /> discovered impacts and this complies with the requirements of 4.05.15. <br /> 12 <br />