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XVII. Auger Mining <br />No specific approvals are granted to the applicant under this section. <br />XVIII. Operations on Alluvial Valley Floors <br />Information pertinent to alluvial valley floor (AVF) determinations is provided in the <br />permit application on pages 2.06-6 through 2.06-25.4, Exhibit 42a (EMD Alluvial <br />Valley Floor Determination), Map No. 5 (Surface Geology), Map No. 15 (Alluvial <br />Valley Floors, Land Use and Water Rights) and the supplemental report of September <br />22, 1986, "Material Damage Standard for Irrigation", and Map No. 13 (Twentymile <br />Park Hydrology). <br />Potentially affected portions of Foidel Creek, Middle Creek, Fish Creek and Lower <br />Trout Creek stream valleys have previously been evaluated with respect to AVF <br />criteria in a number of coal permits, including Twentymile Coal Company's Foidel <br />Creek Mine (C-1982-056), Twentymile Coal Company's Fish Creek Tipple (C-81- <br />036), Colorado Yampa Coal Company's Eckman Park, Mine No. 1, and Mine No. 2 <br />(C-81-071) and Colorado Yampa Coal Company's Energy Mine No. 3 (C-84-062). <br />Numerous areas meeting the criteria for potential AVF's exist in the permit and <br />adjacent area. The Division has made the finding of the presence or absence of AVF's <br />as detailed in the following sections. <br />AVF Determination - Positive Determination <br />Fish Creek <br />Based on existing and potential flood irrigation and sub -irrigation capabilities, the <br />Division has determined that Fish Creek is an AVF above, within, and below the <br />permit area, downstream to its confluence with Trout Creek. This area is delineated on <br />Map 15 of the PAP, Alluvial Valley Floors, Land Use and Water Rights. PR -05 <br />approved expansion of the mine plan into the Northern Mining District (longwall <br />panels 12 Right to 16 Right) which underlies the Fish Creek AVF. By PR -06, further <br />undermining of the AVF by panels 17 Right and 18 Right was approved. The <br />Division approved in PR -8 additional undermining of Fish Creek by mining in the <br />Western Mining District in panels 13L, 14L, 15L, 16L, and 17L. PR -10 proposes to <br />mine under Fish Creek in panels 6RT, 7RT, 8RT and 9RT in the Wolf Creek Reserve. <br />Trout Creek <br />Alluvial deposits on Trout Creek meet alluvial valley floor criteria based on extensive <br />acreage of flood irrigated hayland, potential for flood irrigation and a presumed <br />capability to support sub -irrigated vegetation. The Division has determined that Trout <br />Creek is an AVF as delineated on Map 15. Twentymile Coal does not propose to <br />undermine Trout Creek. <br />Page 40 of 52 <br />