2022-04-08_PERMIT FILE - C1981044 (4)

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Oil Pipeline. A high-pressure, oil pipeline owned by AMOCO Pipeline Company traverses the permit area from the southwest to the northeast, approximately paralleling County Road 107. The pipeline is constructed of 6-inch diameter,welded steel pipe and is buried approximately 4 feet deep. County Road 107. County Road 107, which traverses the property from the southwest to the northeast, is an unimproved gravel road that is maintained by MCM. A portion of the road lying in the southeast section of the mine complex has been abandoned by Moffat County and vacated to MCM. The vacation document is presented in Exhibit 6,County Road Vacation Document. State Highway 13. State Highway 13 is a two (2) lane, asphalt highway which links Craig and Meeker, Colorado. The highway receives only moderate use. State Highway 13 traverses proposed life-of-mine underground mining operations. Refer to the Life-of-Mine Plan Map(Map 22). Railroad. A Denver and Rio Grande Western Railroad spur traverses the permit area. This railroad is a spur line, which services Colowyo Coal Company and MCM coal loading facilities. The railroad bed is located in the river bottoms of both the Yampa and Williams Fork Rivers. Irrigation Ditches. Numerous irrigation ditches are located in the river bottoms within the permit area. These ditches are used for irrigating grass,hay, and wheat fields. Renewable Resource Lands The following renewable resource lands have been identified within and adjacent to the permit area: • Alluvial Valley Floor • Yampa River • Williams Fork River • Sandstone Aquifers Alluvial Valley Floor. The river valley bottoms of both the Yampa and Williams Fork Rivers are classified as alluvial valley floors (AVF). The ground surface in these alluvial valleys supports sheep and cattle ranching operations. The direction of ground water flow in the alluvium is generally parallel with river valley trends as well as towards the river. A detailed discussion of the hydrologic characteristics of the alluvial valley floors is presented in Section 2.04.7,Hydrology Information. Yampa River. The Yampa River meanders across the permit area from the northeast to the southwest. The Yampa River is a snowmelt stream and is dependent on the winter snowpack for much of its annual flow. Runoff from thunderstorms accounts for its peak flow during the summer and fall months. A detailed discussion of surface hydrology is presented in Section 2.04.7,Hydrology Information. Williams Fork River. The Williams Fork River is a major tributary to the Yampa River. The Williams Fork River traverses the southern part of the permit area where it joins the Yampa River. The Williams Fork River is a snowmelt stream and is dependent on the winter snowpack for a majority of its annual flow. Thunderstorms account for much of its peak flows during the summer and fall months. Refer to Hydrology Inforniation, Section 2.04.7 for more information on surface water. Sandstone Aquifers. The term "aquifers" as defined by 30CFR817.126 and by Rule 4.20.4 are renewable resource lands that serve as a "significant source of water supply to any public water system". However, as discussed in Section 2.04.7, Hydrology Information, the sandstone aquifers which underlie the MCM permit area do not serve as a "significant source" or even a minor source of water supply to a public system and as such cannot be classified as a renewable resource land. The four(4) major sandstone aquifers within the permit area are 1) Trout Creek Sandstone, 2) Twentymile Sandstone, 3) Middle Sandstone, and 4)White Sandstone. The depth of the sandstone aquifers varies throughout the mine area. The average thickness for the major sandstone aquifers is as follows: 1)Trout Creek RN18-07 2.05-49 Revised 07/10/18