APPCOR10146

• Permit No: C1981034
• IBM Index Class Name: Application Correspondence
• Doc Date: 1/18/1982
• Doc Name: TECHNICAL ADEQUACY REVIEW OF THE GRAND MESA COAL CO RED CANYON 1 & 2 MINES PERMIT APPLICATION
• From: MLR
• To: DAN MATHEWS
• Media Type: D
• Archive: No

Dan Mathews -3- January 18, 1982
The following concerns arise given the aforementioned observations and
statements within the permit application:
A. What are the impacts of the mines on irrigated and subirrigated farm lands
above and below the permit area?
B. What are the impacts of the mines on surface and groundwater right holders
located along Ward and Williams Creeks?
C. What are the impacts of mine discharges on water quality leaving the mine
site and use by downstream irrigators?
D. Does Grand Mesa Coal Company have enough water rights to augment losses to
senior water right holders?
E. Is there sufficient water available in the Colby Domestic Water System to
replace lost water to effected well owners? Will Grand Mesa Coal Company pay for
the installation of water lines and the water from Colby System?
F. The mining activities will increase the permeability of the coal and effected
overlying strata. The mine working and effected overlying strata will also be
under the hydroloic pressure head of the "Glacial-Alluvial Aquifer". Given these
facts, will the mine openings become discharge points for contaminated mine water
once the mining operations cease, the pumps are shut-off, and the mine workings
fill with water?
There is insufficient baseline data within the Permit application to adequately
define the existing hydrologic systems and to adequately address the hydrologic
consequence of mining. In order to provide the Division with adequate data upon
which it must write findings, Grand Mesa Coal Company should:
1) Determine the aquifer characteristics (i.e. transmissivity (T) and storativity
(S)) for the E and D coal seams, the overlying effected stratum, and the
"Glacial-Alluvial Aquifer". This data is needed to determine the effects of
mining on groundwater movement, on ground and surface water depletion and on
groundwater pollution movement.
2) Install more groundwater monitoring wells in the "Glacial-A1luvi al Aquifer".
These wells should be spaced such that a detailed piezometric map can be prepared,
and the effects of undermining the "Glacial-Alluvial Aquifer" can be assessed.
This information is needed to determine the recharge and discharge characteristics
of this aquifer and the effect of mining on this aquifer recharge and discharge.
3) Collect an adequate 4roundwater baseline. The permit application does not
contain a year's worth of groundwater level and quantity data, and therefore,
seasonal fluctuations in the quality and quantity of groundwater was not adequately
addressed, and there is insufficient baseline data to compare with future ground-
water in order to determine the effects of mining on groundwater. The list of
water quality parameters which the applicant should monitor quarterly for both
surface and groundwater samples is contained in Attachment A. This guideline
should be followed unless the applicant can demonstrate that such parameters are
not relevant. After a years baseline has been submitted and a complete analysis
of the roof, floor, interburden and coal for the E and D seams has been submitted,
the Division can reduce the number of parameter analyzed for, the number of sampling
Locations and the frequency of sampling.
4) Conduct a spring survey. The application does not contain a spring survey.
A spring survey should be conducted to determine the discharge areas and dis-
charging flows of aquifers in the permit and adjacent areas and to determine the
effects of mining on surface water flows through the depletion of spring flows.
This spring survey should include the Location of all springs 'in the permit and
adjacent areas on a hydrologic map; quarterly field measurements of spring flows,
pH, temperature, and electro-conductivity; and information on water rights
associated with these springs.