2018-09-04_PERMIT FILE - C1980007 (18)

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h MCC West Elk Mine Sunset Trail Lease Modifications 2011 Hydrology Survey 2 in the MGFCO tract, but they were not visited during this survey per instructions from Kathy Welt at Mountain Coal Company. HydroGeo conversed with John Monarch prior to initiating the field surveys, in order to determine the most efficient access routes to the survey area. Permission from affected private land owners was acquired by MCC prior to surveying. A general location map is presented in Figure 1 and the Sunset Trail Lease Modifications (STLM) Study Area Map is presented in Figure 2. The survey methodology consisted of two teams of two people walking the survey area and identifying springs and seeps. Each spring/seep site was given a unique site ID and sites were marked with a piece of lath labeled with the site ID. The actual source (emergence point) of the spring/seep was identified when possible and its location was recorded with a hand-held Garmin Etrex global positioning system (GPS) instrument. The source of the spring or seep was also noted as issuing from bedrock or unconsolidated sediments where obvious. Spring flow was measured as close to the source of the spring as possible using a graduated cup or bucket. The flow was measured by recording the time it takes to fill a container of known volume. Three flow readings were taken, recorded, and then averaged. Average flows were tabulated in the summary tables presented in this report. For very low flow sites, flows were manually diverted momentarily to allow more accurate measurement. If the flows in seep areas formed a channel below the seep field, measurements were taken at the highest possible location in the channel. Otherwise, spring and seep flows were estimated based on field observations. If no definitive spring flow could be determined in ponds, the outflow from ponds was measured where applicable. The areal extent and flows of spring and seep complexes with multiple sources were estimated and recorded in the field book. In addition, the field water quality parameters of pH (s.u.), electrical conductivity (µ&cm), and temperature (° C) were measured with a calibrated multi -meter, probe and recorded. The field water quality testing equipment was calibrated daily with reference buffer solutions, in accordance with manufacturer instructions. Digital photographs of each site were taken to depict both detail and broad perspective views. The date, time, direction and other pertinent information were recorded in a photo log. The ,locations of the 70 sites identified in the Sunset Trail Spring Survey are depicted on Figure 2. The sites are generally categorized into the following three groups: • Spring Related Features including springs, springs feeding ponds, spring/pond/wetland complexes, springs with wetlands, seeps, and seeps with wetlands • Pond Related Features including natural and man-made ponds or ponds with wetlands • Other/Miscellaneous Features including stream flow sites, wetland areas without springs or ponds, etc. February 2012 HydroGeo, Inc.