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of this water to the surface system, the mine entries will be sealed <br />using a method which has been approved by the Division, which will <br />prevent unrestricted flow from the mine. Therefore, the total amount <br />of water expected to be diverted through the abandoned workings and <br />then discharged to the surface is negligible when considered as a <br />small percentage of the Hay Gulch flow system. <br />Based upon maps and figures presented by Blue Flame and from <br />observations made at adjacent operations, it is predicted that <br />subsidence will not, in any way, affect the Huntington Ditch located <br />south of the area to be affected by the Blue Flame Coal Mine. <br />The applicant is in compliance with the requirements of this section. <br />B. Cumulative Hydrologic Impact Assessment <br />This study assesses the cumulative hydrologic impacts from all <br />existing coal mining operations and from proposed coal mining <br />operations which are within the ground and surface water study <br />areas. The surface water study area is defined as the Hay Gulch <br />drainage from above the King Coal Mine to its confluence with the <br />La Plata River. The ground water study area is defined as the <br />Menefee Formation down dip from Hay Gulch and the Hay Gulch alluvium <br />from above the King Coal Mine to its junction with the alluvial <br />material associated with the La Plata River. The only coal mines <br />which are located within these study areas are the King Coal Mine, <br />operated by National King Coal, Inc., and the proposed Blue Flame <br />Coal Mine. <br />The proposed Shalako operation and the Peacock operation, which are <br />located in Hay Gulch, were not included in the impact assessment. <br />This is because the Shalako application has been withdrawn, and <br />therefore, no mining is anticipated at this site. The Peacock Mine <br />was abandoned prior to permit issuance. No future mining is <br />anticipated at this site either. <br />Ground Water <br />As discussed in Sections Y and IX of this document, the Menefee <br />Formation is essentially dry in the Hay Gulch area. If water is <br />encountered during mining, it will be used underground in coal mining <br />operations. It is expected that a smai7 percentage of the water used <br />underground will infiltrate into the Menefee., The hydrogeologic <br />characteristics of the Menefee are such that no impact to the <br />formation within the San Juan Basin due to the coal mining activities <br />in Hay Gulch will occur. <br />The Hay Gulch AVF has been identified as an aquifer in the study <br />area. Both the Blue Flame and King Coal Mines have been designed to <br />minimize, to the extent possible, impacts to the alluvial aquifer. <br />The sediment ponds at the National King Coal, Inc., operation have <br />never discharged into the AVF. The proposed sediment pond at the <br />7 5_ <br />