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<br />water requirements and the effect of project operations on existing <br />water rights. This additional substantial evidence supported the <br />Board's finding that disturbances to the prevailing hydrologic <br />balance would be minimized. <br />1. Project Water Requirements Were Addressed. <br />Evidence of project water requirements was presented <br />in the permit application and throughout the review and hearing <br />process. Battle Mountain presented extensive evidence of project <br />water requirements in the permit application including: <br />1. An overall projected project water use of 200 <br />qpm. Vol. 6A, page 1024. <br />2. Water losses related to the milling process <br />estimated at 0.4 acre-feet/day. Vol. 6A, page <br />1013. <br />3. Water application rates for the heap leach <br />process calculated at 7'00 gpm for the completed <br />heap. Vol. 6A, page 1008. <br />4. A detailed water balance spreadsheet which <br />described water use at the mine on a monthly <br />basis throughout the life of the mine. Vol. <br />6C, pages 1291-1296. This information was <br />revised at the request of the Board. Adequacy <br />letter item no. 38. Vol. 4, page 833. <br />Adequacy Response no. 38. Vol. 5, page 932. <br />5. Estimated maximum heap leach irrigation rates <br />of 700 gpm (1,008,000 qpd). Vol. 6A, page <br />1008. <br />6. Exhibit E, Reclamation Plan. The reclamation <br />plan indicates that no irrigation will be <br />required for successful revegetation of the <br />site. Natural succession has reclaimed an <br />abandoned heap leap on the property supporting <br />the assertion that natural precipitation is <br />sufficient to support reclamation activities. <br />Further, Battle Mountain's reclamation plan <br />requires seeding to take full advantage of <br />- 1B - <br />