2025-10-07_GENERAL DOCUMENTS - C1982057

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Permit Number: C1982057 Page 19 of 20 Phase III less than the standard. It appears that the elevated iron is unrelated to runoff from the mine site and likely a result of natural erosion from other areas of the watershed. No other water quality excursions have occurred during the last five years. in the upper Dry Creek Segment. For Sage Creek Segment 13e there were no excursions of the NPDES discharge limits over the past five years for discharges to Sage Creek. Total dissolved solids within the receiving streams have remained below the concentrations predicted in the Probably Hydrologic Consequences section of the permit and the streams water uses have not been significantly degraded significantly. Spoil Springs Five spoil springs are monitored at the site and results are compared to the CWQCC Agricultural Use surface water standard CDPHE Regulation 31. No Agricultural Use standards (manganese or selenium) were exceeded at any of the spoil springs. For Yampa Segment 13d, no acute or chronic standards were exceeded for either magnesium or selenium. No water quality excursion occurred during the past five years. Protection of the Hydrologic Balance All ponds and stock tanks have been approved by the DRMS to remain as permanent structures. Permanent pond demonstrations have been made for Ponds 006, 016 and 017 and reclamation in their watersheds is included in the SL8 bond release request. Total dissolved solids within the receiving streams have remained below the concentrations predicted in the Probably Hydrologic Consequences section of the permit and the streams water uses have not been significantly degraded significantly. Groundwater levels within bedrock and alluvial wells fall within historic ranges. Groundwater quality meets all applicable standards at compliance well DCAL‐02. The discharges from the mine site meet the NPDES permitted limit and the receiving streams meet all applicable surface water quality standards except for the occasional excursion of total recoverable iron. Completion of the Hydrologic Reclamation Plan The final measure within Hydrologic Reclamation Plan was the abandonment of the thirty-four monitoring wells within or adjacent to the requested Phase III bond release area. Thirteen wells are located in the alluvium, six each within the Wadge Coal seam the Wadge Overburden, three within the Wolf Creek Coal, one each within the Wolf Creek Coal Overburden and the Wolf Creek Underburden, one each within the Sage Creek Coal and the Sage Creek Overburden, and two within the Trout Creek Sandstone (see Table 3 of the Seneca II‐W Annual Hydrology Report for the list wells and their construction details). All wells were abandoned with documentation provided to DRMS. Based upon a review of the mine permit, the applicant's bond release application, site inspections, water quality monitoring results, the Division finds that SPL has successfully completed all surface coal mining reclamation operations in accordance with the approved reclamation plan and met all requirements of the Act and the Rules (Rule 3.03.2).