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EMD (Panels 2 Right through 6 Right)(PR 97-04) <br />As with the EMD, the proposed operations will not impact areas of unusually high value for fish and wildlife. The <br />prior database survey, which is present in Exhibit 19A, indicates no nesting activity is occurring within the Middle <br />Creek drainage. The recovery rooms for the southern longwall panels in the EMD will be sufficiently removed <br />from the Twentymile Sandstone outcrop to prevent complete failure of the face. Therefore, the nests located in this <br />section of the Twentymile Sandstone will not be impacted by the continuing operations in the EMD. <br />NMD (Panels 12 Right through 16 Right)(PR 99-05) <br />As with the EMD, the proposed operation will not impact areas of unusually high values for fish and wildlife. The <br />mining will not disrupt any bedrock outcrops due to subsidence induced face failure of the outcrop. The mining <br />will result in pools left along fish Creek over panels 13 Right through 16 Right. However, this is seen as a positive <br />impact due to the increase in waterfowl habitat along this reach of the stream. <br />The undermining and subsiding of Fish Creek will occur during the mining of coal in the NMD. The creek is <br />expected to respond in the same manner as Foidel Creek did to subsidence impacts. The location of the pools over <br />the EMD longwall panels is contained in the 2nd half, 1998 Subsidence Report in Figure 1. The report indicates that <br />the pool area over the 9 Right panel is approximately 1 acre in size as of July, ]998. The pool over the 8 Right <br />Panel is approximately 0.3 acres in size as of July, 1998. There are two pools over the 7 Right panel with <br />downstream pool being approximately .5 acres and the upstream pool approximately 3.1 acres. Both of these areas <br />are as of July, 1998. Since that time, both have receded in size most likely associated with sediment disposition <br />occurring as Flow velocity decreases in the pool area <br />TCC, except for the one episode reported to the Division previously, has not caused any significant stream flow <br />disruption. As noted to the Division, the previous episode saw Flow in Foidel Creek go to zero for an 8 hour period <br />• and then return to normal flows with 61 days. However, the disruption of flow occurred in an area, which had <br />exposed bedrock and the creek apparently entered the exposed fractures for that 8 hour period. In Fish Creek, the <br />potential for this to occur is minimal due to the existence of the Lewis Shale in this area. <br />It is anticipated that [he Fish Creek channel will respond in the same manner as the Foidel Creek channel for its <br />entire length as it traverses over panels 13 Right through 16 Right. The entire length of Fish Creek overlying the <br />panels was surveyed to look for outcrop areas. The survey showed that approximately 1,260 feet of channel in <br />section ]0, TSN, R86W has a bedrock outcrop (Fish Creek Sandstone) exposed. This would be an area which <br />could experience su~cial cracking and be a potential site recharging the bedrock. However, the cover is greater <br />over these panels and there is additional shale between the mine and the surface. The alluvial deposits are located <br />over this shale unit. The combination of greater depth and thicker shale deposits will minimize the potential of <br />surficial cracking to occur during and after mining. Twentymile does not anticipate any loss of flow in Fish Creek <br />as a result of its mining operation. <br />Flooding of the Fish Creek alluvial valley floor will occur, and the areas to be Flooded over the NMD panels is <br />presented in Exhibit 7e-3, Northern Mining District AVF Subsidence Prediction. <br />d, p~, to ~ Protection of the hydrologic balance. <br />• <br />APPR®"JEdi JUN 2 g 2000 <br />PR 99-OS 2.05-127.1 3/28/00 <br />