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Mine. Surface water quantity was not reduced significantly by the operation, as the <br />sediment control system functioned to slow and treat surface water, not to impound it for <br />significant periods of time. <br />Quantitative data taken from springs and discharge monitoring reports over the <br />operational life of the Carbon Junction Mine verified that there was no significant impact <br />to the quantity or quality of surface water within or adjacent to the Carbon Junction Mine. <br />Ground Water <br />Ground water impacts are discussed throughout this section. The mining and reclamation <br />plan was designed to minimize or alleviate impacts to the quantity and quality of <br />groundwater at and adjacent to the Carbon Junction Mine. The characteristics and <br />stratigraphy of the coal seam and overburden prevent discharges of ground water in the <br />areas of potential impact. Further, based on well monitoring up gradient, mid -mine and <br />down gradient, no significant impacts to groundwater quantity or quality were identified <br />or substantiated during the operational life of the Carbon Junction Mine. <br />Probable Hydrologic Consequences <br />During the re -permitting of the mine in 1993, it was concluded that impacts to the <br />hydrologic balance would be minimal due to the mitigative measures the company <br />planned. The only significant change to the existing conditions at the mine since that <br />finding has been the mining of sand and gravel under a permit issued by the Division <br />under the Colorado Mined Land Reclamation Act (CRS 34-32-101 et seq). The <br />subsequent mining of sand and gravel at the site has increased the acreage of surface <br />disturbance by approximately 33 acres. This acreage is less than the total amount <br />proposed to be disturbed by the Carbon Junction operation at buildout. The sand and <br />gravel operations were conducted within the proposed disturbed area of the coal mine and <br />minimize impacts to the surface water regime through the use of the same sediment <br />control technology as the coal mine. Groundwater impacts from the sand and gravel <br />operation were not anticipated as the operation is mining dry alluvial terrace gravels. <br />Therefore, the predictions of the PHC remain valid. <br />There are no users of surface waters or persons who have water rights in, or adjacent to, <br />the permit area other than the present landowner. The potential impact to the nearest <br />ground water wells has already been addressed in Section 2.04. <br />The quantity of water, both surface and underground, were protected from adverse effects <br />of the mining operation. All surface water originating in and above the drainage area <br />flows to the Animas River as it always has. <br />Abridged Permit Document 5-26 Permit Revision PRO1 9/2014 <br />