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There is a refuse disposal area 600 feet northeast of the pond. This fill was constructed with coally material and underground development waste. There is a rock underdrain beneath the fill. There is no record of this drain ever discharging water. At the time mining ceased, the fill was only about 8-10 feet high. The fill was covered with noncombustible material and seeded. The rock outcrop behind and above this refuse fill appears stable and has not changed visibly during the past 8 years, since this inspector first visited the site. Runoff from the refuse area, as well as the area uphill from the pile, is diverted into a ditch and routed to the sediment pond on the mine bench. A fill which was placed in Lewis Gulch was removed during reclamation in 1995. Most of the material from the fill was placed on the mine bench and in a road cut uphill from the Lewis Gulch Fill. Outslopes of the area where the fill was located are steep 11 h:1 vl but, appear erosionally stable at this time. There are several 1-3 inch deep rills on the steeper portions of this area. Erosion control matting which was placed on the slope has been destroyed by cattle. The reclaimed channel in Lewis Gulch is in good condition at this time, and shows little evidence of any surface flows. The backfilled road cut above this are also appears stable at this time. The mine access road within the former permit area is in fair condition. There is a fair cover of road base remaining on the road. Several 2-3 inch deep gullies have formed in the road as a result of storm runoff. The road ditch next to this road is functioning. Vegetative cover on the reclaimed area is minimal. It appears that emergence of vegetation following seeding was somewhat successful. However, the area was very heavily grazed by cattle in 1996 and very little perennial vegetation was present at the time of this inspection. Most of the vegetation present at this time consists of annuals, some heavily grazed grasses, a few scattered specimens of rubber rabbitbrush, and some Canadian thistle. The Canadian thistle needs to be monitored and treated if necessary to prevent an infestation of noxious weeds. Established or desired species should also be monitored during the next year. If establishment of perennial vegetation is not successful and/or if over grazing continues to prohibit establishment of an effective vegetative cover, consideration may need to be given to fencing the area to keep cattle out until vegetation is established. Disturbed area runoff from the lower bench and the refuse disposal area drains to the sediment pond. Runoff from the Lewis Gulch fill area and two former topsoil stockpile areas next to the mine access road are treated by silt fences on the perimeters of these areas. The silt fences at the fil! are mostly intact at this time. The silt fences at the topsoil stockpile sites have been destroyed by cattle. There are two ground water monitoring wells which were used during the life of the mine. They were known as the TPW-1 and the Caldirola wells. Neither of these wells has been reclaimed. COAL SALES AREA The coal sales area consists of approximately 5.6 acres of reclaimed ground. All structures were removed from this area, except for a small sedimentation pond. The area is generally flat and stable. Agate across the road at the entrance is locked and a mine identification sign remains in place nearby. The sediment pond is incised into the ground. There is a partially crushed steel discharge pipe and crock-lined emergency spillway. Inslopes of the pond are fairly well vegetated. The pond tends to hold a small amount of water during the winter and spring. Storm runoff from the reclaimed area drains to this sediment pond, with the exception of a small area at the west end of the yard. Runoff from this small area passes through a silt fence, which was still functional at the time of this inspection.