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disturbed by mine road and office facilities construction. Less than 1% of the total area of <br /> alluvial valley floor within a one-half mile radius of the confluence of McClane Canyon <br /> and East Salt Creek would be disturbed by the operation, and there will be no disturbance <br /> to irrigated cropland. <br /> The following specific findings are required. <br /> A. The Division finds that activities proposed by the applicant will not interrupt, <br /> discontinue, or preclude farming on the alluvial valley floors that are irrigated or <br /> naturally subirrigated(4.24.3(1)). The proposed activities will directly affect only <br /> undeveloped rangelands which are not significant to farming. <br /> B. The proposed activities will not materially damage the quantity or quality of water in <br /> the surface or ground water system described above(4.24.3(3)) and 2.06.8(5)(a)(ii)). <br /> No adverse effects to water quantity or quality were projected when the initial <br /> permanent program permit was issued, and monitoring to date has supported this <br /> projection. In association with RN-06 and TR-15,the operator prepared a mass <br /> balance evaluation to assess the effects of irrigation season mine water discharge on <br /> the salinity(conductivity) of East Salt Creek water downstream from the point where <br /> discharge water enters the stream. The evaluation confirms that mine discharge is <br /> not causing a deleterious increase in stream salinity levels. The reader is referred to <br /> the AVF section of the April 16, 1985 findings document, Section B.II.E Surface <br /> Water Effects of this RN-07 Findings Document, and Section 4.1.2.5 and Appendix <br /> N Tables N-3 through N-7 of the permit application package for additional detailed <br /> discussion and documentation. <br /> C. The proposed activities will comply with the requirements of the Act and the <br /> Regulations with respect to alluvial valley floors(2.06.8(5)(a)(iii)). <br /> D. Surface coal mining and reclamation operations will be conducted to preserve the <br /> essential hydrologic functions of alluvial valley floors outside the permit area and to <br /> reestablish the essential hydrologic functions of alluvial valley floors within the <br /> affected area throughout the mining and reclamation process(4.24.2). <br /> E. An environmental monitoring system has been installed, and will be maintained, and <br /> operated by the permittee on all alluvial valley floors during surface coal mining and <br /> reclamation operations and continued until all bonds are released in accordance with <br /> Rule. 3 (4.24.4). The approved surface and ground water monitoring program is <br /> sufficient to monitor potential impacts of the mining operation on irrigated or <br /> naturally subirrigated alluvial valley floors downstream from the confluence of <br /> McClane Canyon on East Salt Creek. <br /> XVIIL Operations on Prime Farmland—Rule 4.25 <br /> No prime farmlands currently exist within the proposed permit area. Therefore,any specific <br /> approvals under this section do not apply. <br /> xxix <br />