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West Elk Mine <br />2. Flow measurement estimates, water quality sampling and/or field water quality parameter <br />measurements at springs above the F Seam, springs above the B Seam in the North Fork <br />drainage, springs/ponds in the Jumbo Mountain area, springs in or below the F Seam in the <br />North Fork drainage and springs above the E Seam in the Dry Fork and Deep Creek drainage. <br />This monitoring program information has been used to estimate the PHCs from both a quantity and <br />quality standpoint. Surface water hydrologic consequences are described in this section for the <br />following: <br />• Streams (surface drainages) <br />• Springs <br />• Reservoirs and stock ponds <br />• Wetlands <br />• Water rights <br />• Mine water system, including North Fork water, sanitary water, mine water, and runoff from <br />disturbed areas <br />Streams <br />Stream hydrology and sediment transport have been conceptually quantified for the permit area by <br />WWE and Mr. Ernest Pemberton, P.E. Mr. Pemberton was formerly the Chief Engineer for the <br />U.S. Bureau of Reclamation, Sedimentation and River Hydraulic Section. He is a respected expert <br />in the field. <br />Exhibit 55 was prepared to address drainage basun characteristics and evaluate the potential effects <br />due to mining in the Apache Rocks and Box Canyon permit areas. Since mining activities are still <br />active in these areas, Exhibit 55 has been retained in the permit. However, the following text <br />focuses on the drainages in the South of Divide and Dry Fork permit area, which is also found it <br />Exhibit 55A and 55B, but includes key findings of Exhibit 55 for the Apache Rocks and Box <br />Canyon permit areas. <br />Background on Stream Channels and Hydrology <br />The Box Canyon and Apache Rocks permit revision areas include a portion of Sylvester Gulch, Box Canyon, <br />the unnamed drainage west of Box Canyon, and a tributory to Raven Gulch. Approximately 1,080 acres of <br />the Apache Rocks pen -nit revision area is located within the Dry Fork of Minnesota Creek basin. That <br />portion also includes parts of the Horse Gulch, Pond Gulch, and Slide Gulch drainages, as well as two <br />unnamed drainages east of Horse Gulch. The Apache Rocks permit revision area totals 2,502 acres and 1,424 <br />acres (51 percent) are In the j,�Torth Fork drainage. All of the 1;4140 acres within the Box Canyon pen -nit <br />revision and 690 acres in the West Flatiron area are within the North Fork basin. The Dry Fork permit <br />revision area of 1,51 % acres is in the Deep Creek/North Fork drainage basin with exception approximately <br />�1 .5..,.C.- i. .. k L1 i i <br />320 acnes that Call uraur i0 t e Deep Crccn ter- h on file South'vr'eSt ciri= Ot ti8 leaSB area. <br />Nearly all of the South of Divide permit area is located within the Minnesota Creek drainage basin. <br />The exception is the small portion that extends east through Section 35, which is part of the Deep <br />Creels drainage basin. In fact, of the 8.18 square miles that mance up the permit revision area, <br />approximately 5.18 square miles (or 63 percent) is located within the Dry Fork <br />2.05-187 Revised June 2005 PRIG. Januag 2006 A4arch 2006: Rev. Alai, 2006 PRIO, Nov. 2006 TR107;Sep. 2007 PR12;Feb 2008 PR12 <br />