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Permit Number: C1982057 Page 9 of 20 <br />Phase III <br /> <br />five years for monitoring sites downstream of WSH7 (outfalls 017 and 016) and stream point WSD5 as <br />presented in the permit document and past annual hydrology reports. <br /> <br />Phase I Bond Release <br />Phase I release areas comprised of roads, ponds and areas around ponds 006, 016. All impoundments were <br />inspected during the 5 June 2025 bond release inspection. Multiple Exhibits in Tab 13 of the permit include <br />designs and as-built plans for each impoundment and any necessary impoundment certifications. During the <br />bond release inspection, the Division inspected the general configuration of each impoundment to determine <br />if they have been constructed in accordance with the approved permit. Also, the embankments were <br />inspected for signs of erosion, weaknesses and failures. Previous measurements taken by the Division of <br />primary and emergency spillway structures determined that construction was in accordance with the <br />approved plan and permit requirements. All impoundments were functioning as designed at the time of <br />inspection. <br /> <br />Phase II Bond Release <br />Phase II release areas comprised of roads, ponds and areas around ponds 006, 016 and the slide area above Pond <br />015. A sedimentology demonstration and vegetative cover analysis were provided for these areas in the <br />application. Topsoil depth replacement information was included in the SL5 Phase II bond release application <br />that was approved in 2014. <br /> <br />In accordance with Rule 3.03.1(3)(b) and Section III.A.7.a, of the Division's 1995 Guideline Regarding <br />Selected Coal Mine Bond Release Issues, SPL provided a suspended solids evaluation. Appendix E Table 6 of <br />the SL8 application provides a statistical summary of the pre‐mine and post mine total suspended solids (TSS) <br />for the Dry Creek and the Sage Creek watersheds. In both watersheds the pre-mine (Apr 1987 - Sept 1989) <br />values were higher than the post mine values (Jan 2019 - Dec 2023) at all stream monitoring points with the <br />exception of WSH9 where pre-mine values were lower. Stream monitoring point WSH9 is located upstream of <br />all the outfalls within the Dry Creek watershed, and sampling at this location was not initiated prior to mining in <br />the watershed. The downstream outfalls receiving runoff from areas associated with WSH9 exhibited lower than <br />predicted values indicating that TSS values at WSH9 are impacted by watershed activities related to processes <br />other than the SPL mine. <br /> <br /> <br />Phase II cover success was evaluated for the parcels <br />depicted in the adjacent map. <br /> <br />Vegetation sampling was conducted by Cedar <br />Creek Associates in 2022 and 2023 and sampling <br />results comprise Attachment D, Revegetation <br />Success Supporting Documentation of the <br />application. Vegetative cover success is based on the <br />allowable all hit herbaceous cover. Vegetative cover <br />success on the reclaimed area will be no less than <br />90% of the cover success standard with a 90%