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West Elk Mine <br />Areas that are devoid of vegetation as a result of slump or landslide movement related to mine <br />activities will be re -vegetated. Applications of appropriate seed mixes and planting of seedlings <br />will be performed as needed. The reseeded areas may be covered with erosion control matting if <br />needed. Application of straw mulch may also be appropriate in selected areas. The seed mixes <br />and seedlings used will be appropriate for the area disturbed and approved by the governing <br />agencies before application or planting. <br />Probable Hydrologic Consequences - 2.05.6 (3)(b)(iii & viii) <br />With the findings and observations provided above as background infonnation, the permit <br />document now turns to site-specific evaluation of probable hydrologic consequences (PHCs), based <br />on data from the current pen -nit area. <br />PHCs are projected based on past experience, expected rates of water use and water discharge, <br />location and extent of mining (and subsidence) relative to basin geology and hydrology, and <br />hydrogeologic conditions of the mined interval and its overburden. <br />The probable surface and groundwater hydrologic consequences presented herein assume <br />implementation of the West Elk Mine mining plans as shown on Map 51 and Map 52. These <br />mining plans are subject to refinement during detailed mine plan preparations by MCC. However, <br />for purposes of discussing anticipated hydrologic consequences, these plans (Map 51 and Map 52) <br />reasonably represent what will occur. <br />40 The PHCs anticipated within the current permit, South of Divide, and Dry Fork permit revision <br />areas are presented as follows: <br />0 <br />1. Surface Water Quantity Effects. <br />2. Surface Water Quality Effects. <br />3. Groundwater Quantity Effects. <br />4. Groundwater Quality Effects. <br />While a complete discussion of the PHCs for the permit area is contained in the following sections <br />of this document, a brief synopsis of the key PHCs is beneficial due to the length of the full <br />discussion. A concise summary of the privnary PHCs for the pen -nit area is as follows: <br />The probability of a surface crack encountering a surface water resource (i.e., stream, spring, <br />or stock pond) is small, mostly due to the infrequent occurrence of surface cracks above the <br />longwall panels. This is consistant with mining at West Elk where this has never been <br />observed. Even with the shallower overburden in the South of Divide and Dry Fork areas, <br />the likelihood of a surface crack intercepting surface water remains small. <br />6 if a surface crack does encounter a s«rface water resource, the impact to the water balance <br />would be insignificant and likely temporary. The volume of a crack would fill rapidly with <br />water and cai7-y with it sediment to begin the sealing and healing processes. <br />2.05-185 Revised June 200.1 PRIG, January 2006, March 2006: Rev. May 2006 PRIG, Nov. 2006 TRI07; Sep. 2007 PR12; Feb 2008 PR12 <br />