Laserfiche WebLink
3.3 Surface Water Monitoring <br />Monitoring/sampling Requirements: Table 32 presents a summary of surface water monitoring frequencies, <br />which was last updated for Permit Revision 6 (PR 03-06 Exhibits 14-7 through 14-10) in March of 2004. Site <br />locations are shown on Figure 2, Hydrologic Monitoring Plan of TR03-42 (as well as in Figure 2 of this AHR). <br />Table A of Exhibit 14 specifies three seasonal monitoring episodes (i.e. October to February, March to May, and <br />June to September), each of which are further divided into two general categories of sampling frequency: 1) <br />"Regular" monitoring that is done continuously, and 2) "Contingent" monitoring that is conducted only when <br />there is a discharge from underground mine pumping at surface discharge sites 109 and/or 115, which discharged <br />briefly in 2018. Note that discharge from site 109 has not occurred in about 20 years, and is not anticipated to <br />occur in the future. <br />2018 surface water data is provided in Tables 33 through 49. Water quality parameters for these sites were <br />typically within previously established ranges, unless otherwise discussed below. An historical summary of data <br />has been provided in Tables 35a through 51a. <br />Stream GaeinQ <br />Accurately monitoring flow at stream sites can be difficult due to continual damage of gage stations by cows, <br />horses, flooding, and various weather effects. Stations require repair on a regular basis. TC attempts to make <br />repairs as soon as possible. Continuing erosion of stream channel banks impact accurate flow calculations. In the <br />summer of 2007, TC hired consultants (Rivers Unlimited, Inc. of Steamboat Springs) to assist with re-evaluating <br />key stream bed locations, including rating curves for ongoing stream gauging. This on-going study continued <br />into the spring 2017 but due to costly expenditures TC resorted to performing stream gaging with in house staff <br />for the remainder of 2017 and will continue for the foreseeable future. <br />In 2012, four protective enclosures were constructed by Rivers Unlimited at historic flow meter recorder <br />locations. New recorders were installed and activated in May of 2012 at these sites. The meter locations include <br />sites 16A, downstream of 8, 1003, and site 69. <br />Additional gage station protective steel enclosures were constructed in 2015 at several monitoring sites. Four <br />new flow meters were installed at these sites in 2016, these included sites 900, 29, 1005 and 301. Consultants <br />will still be used to help advance these locations to automated stream gaging sites. <br />Foidel Creek: Four surface flow monitoring sites on Foidel Creek (in the vicinity of the TC mine portals and <br />facilities areas) are utilized. Site 800 and site 14 are located upstream of the portal. Site 8 is located off the TC <br />facility, downstream of Pond G. It is TC's intent to present a minor revision in 2019 to relocate site 8 further <br />downstream to an area that is easier to access, and which would also be downstream of potential discharge from a <br />future mine dewatering site. Site 900 is located further downstream on Foidel above the confluence with Middle <br />Creek. Former site 304 was located further downstream of 900. Site 304 was eliminated in 2003 per TR0342. <br />