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The information is collected in order to aid in analyzing 1) potential water depletions and 2) <br />potential for injury to any Bear Creek water rights. Due to return of more seemingly "favorable" <br />precipitation conditions in 2014, Bear Creek stream flows ceased during the usual mid June <br />timeframe. A spike in 2011 total iron levels appeared tied to TSS and seemed "normal" in 2014. <br />A spike in 2012 chloride level occurred for no apparent reason. Some 2009, 2010 and 2011 <br />reduced levels of sodium, calcium, conductivity, TDS, and bicarbonate alkalinity appeared to <br />remain at historic levels. The orthophosphate spike remains under the minimal 0.09 mg/l level. <br />Here the importance in the role of the scale of the Y axis seems to predominate. Analysis of the <br />2014 data, as well as subsidence monitoring and observations in the field, suggests no significant <br />anomalies or any indication of adverse effects attributable to mining activities. <br />E-1- Lower Elk Creek <br />Surface water monitoring point E-1 - Lower Elk Creek, an ephemeral drainage, is monitored as a <br />down gradient site to verify that the Elk Creek Mine and the surface facility located at Somerset <br />does not have an adverse affect on the quality of runoff in the drainage. During spring <br />snowmelt, elevated levels of TSS and Total Recovered Iron are routinely encountered, <br />presumedly from natural upstream erosion in the unstable Elk Creek drainage, until streamflows <br />subside. Naturally occurring slide blocks exist in the Elk Creek headwaters and no doubt <br />contribute additional sediment loading. <br />Of particular note is the possible lingering effects of pumping the two mine recovery boreholes <br />#1 and #2 during 3 months in 2013. Elevated levels of TDS from naturally occurring alkalinity <br />were noted in the E-1 sampling during 2013. The additional pumping flows extended the 2013 <br />runoff period in Elk Creek. Elevated dissolved solids raised conductivity measurement during <br />pumping, but quickly returned to "normal" after pumping was terminated on September 9, 2013. <br />2014 and 2015 data indicate no lingering effects from the pumping. <br />An analysis of the data suggests there is no adverse impact of the Elk Creek Mine to Lower Elk <br />Creek. <br />E-2- Upper Elk Creek <br />Surface water monitoring point E-2 - Upper Elk Creek, an ephemeral drainage, is monitored to <br />verify that the Elk Creek mine does not have an adverse affect on the quality of runoff in the <br />drainage. In addition, the site will serve as an up -gradient site to monitor Elk Creek prior to <br />entering the OMLLC surface facility. See the above comments for site E-1 for the discussion on <br />the dewater recovery boreholes. <br />An elevated September 2014 and July 2015 chloride levels appear to be anomolies, as the down <br />dip site does not show a similar chloride level. An analysis of the data suggests there is no <br />adverse impact of the Elk Creek Mine to Upper the upper Elk Creek site or this segment of <br />Lower Elk Creek in particular. <br />S-1 — Upper Sanborn Creek and S-2 — Lower Sanborn Creek <br />Surface water monitoring points S-1 - Upper Sanborn Creek and S-2 — Lower Sanborn Creek <br />were established to monitor the flow in ephemeral Sanborn Creek above and below the disturbed <br />