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irrigation or subirrigation of hay or other field crops. However, based upon information <br /> included in the PAP (including mapping of alluvial deposits, agricultural fields located <br /> below the rail loop which may be subirrigated, and alluvial waters from Dry Creek <br /> apparently being used to irrigate hay fields downstream) and previous findings by the <br /> Division for the Seneca II-W Mine concerning Dry Creek,those portions of Dry Creek <br /> mapped as alluvial deposits will continue to be designated as part of the Dry Creek alluvial <br /> valley floor. <br /> The loadout has existed on the Dry Creek valley floor since early 1978. The area of the <br /> valley floor affected by the disturbance comprises approximately 4% of the area of <br /> unconsolidated alluvial deposits in the valley. None of the disturbance impinges upon the <br /> area of irrigated agriculture indicated by the applicant. No further disturbance is planned for <br /> this operation. Because of the small area involved and because the disturbance is contained <br /> with a sediment control system,the operation will have no significant effect on the integrity <br /> of surrounding agricultural activity. <br /> Impacts on surface water quality due to disturbances at the loadout will be minimal due to <br /> the size of the permit area with respect to the surface area drained by Dry Creek. <br /> Furthermore, data provided by the applicant indicates that coal stockpiled at the loadout does <br /> not contain any chemical constituents at high enough concentrations to be of concern with <br /> respect to contamination of surface water. Surface water effects will be monitored during <br /> and after mining by surface monitoring stations on Dry Creek upstream and downstream of <br /> the disturbance to verify this conclusion. <br /> A. The Division has determined that an alluvial valley floor exists within the affected or <br /> adjacent area. Therefore, the following findings are in order for the alluvial valley floor <br /> located on Dry Creek and Sage Creek. <br /> 1. 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 sub-irrigated (4.24.3(1)). <br /> The only mining related activity which would interrupt farming on an alluvial <br /> valley floor is the TAHR which has already been completed. <br /> 2. The proposed activities will not materially damage the quantity or quality of <br /> water in the surface or ground water system described above (4.24.3(3) and <br /> 2.06.8(5)(a)(ii)). <br /> Due to the extremely limited acreage of proposed disturbance within the Sage <br /> Creek watershed, and the fact that regional ground water flow is to the west, the <br /> potential for material damage to the quality or quantity of water supplied to the <br /> AVF is negligible. No measurable impacts to the quantity or quality of water <br /> supplying the Sage Creek AVF are projected. <br /> 30 <br />