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<br />-6- <br />2. As part of the applicant's proposed reclamation plan, the Middle Creek Pit <br />will be backfilled and graded to approximate original contour, This reclaimed <br />pit will eventually fill with water to some undetermined elevation due to <br />discharge from the undl5turbed bedrock aquifer, seepage from adjacent <br />backfilled spoils, and downward infiltration of precipitation. A pro~ectlon <br />of the maximum anticipated water level elevation within the reclaimed ptt <br />should be made, based on data and observations from the site, and this <br />information should be included in the permit application. <br />3. Due to the potential for hydrologic communication between the reclaimed ~\ <br />pit, the adjacent Middle Creek Oetentlon Basin, and the alluvial aquifer 1 <br />system, the applicant should install a monitor well in the backfilled and <br />regraded Middle Creek Pit. Monitoring of water levels and water quality <br />within this spoils aquifer will be very important in evaluating long-term ~~ <br />impacts to the hydrologic balance of the area. <br />For similar reasons to those stated above, the Division also requests that a <br />spoils aquifer monitor well be installed at the Mine No. 3 site, near the Mine <br />No. 3 Detention Basin. Sample analysis and monitoring frequency for both <br />spoils aquifer wells should be conducted as discussed earlier in this letter <br />under the "Hydrologic Monitoring Plan°. <br />Alluvial Valley Floors - Rules 2.06.8 and 4.24 <br />Prior to State approval for a permit to conduct coal mining and reclamation <br />activities at the Mine No. 3 site, the Division must make a determination of <br />whether the operation will cause, or presents an unacceptable risk of causing, <br />material damage to the quantity or quality of surface or ground waters that <br />supply significant alluvial valley floors. Nith the information that 15 <br />presently in the permit application, this determination cannot be made. In <br />order to make this type of assessment, the Division needs quantitative <br />information from the applicant on the following. <br />1. The effect of mining operations on surface water quality downstream from <br />the mine site in terms of an anticipated change 1n TDS concentration at both <br />high and low flow during the growing season. <br />2. The effect of mining operations on alluvial ground water quality <br />downstream from the mine site in terms of an anticipated change in the TDS <br />concentration of the shallow ground water. <br />1. All soils information 15 based on an SCS Order FYI Soil Survey. Given <br />that the majority of the area is already disturbed, and the only new <br />disturbance is approximately 5 acres, this will be adequate. However, there <br />is a problem with the amount of soil available for reclamation. The only <br />reference that could be found for replacement depths was a tabulation on page <br />2.05-44. Using these figures and comparing them with the amount of material <br />available (Map No. 15, Topsail Redistribution), it appears there is a topsoil <br />deficit in excess of 100,000 yd3. (See worksheet below.) This translates <br />into a lack of enough material to cover 34 acres to an average 2 foot depth. <br />Therefore, the d7screpancy between the amount of soil available and topsoil <br />redistribution needs to be addressed. <br />~~k~ ~~ <br />D"~I w ~v'1 <br />~~`~U <br />r ~~~ <br />J.. <br />~'I s <br />~b~, ~' <br />~ ~r <br />C' <br />~" <br />1(' <br />~~.Il~;) <br />