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West Elk Mine <br />. MCC has selected the water quality parameters above and in Table 5 for routine measurement <br />because they aze moss commonly associated with coal mining impact on water quality. Annual, <br />full-suite monitoring will allow MCC to identify possible mining-induced changes in water quality. <br />Monitoring data, along with a discussion of any impacts observed or projected, will be provided in <br />an Annual Hydrology Report to be submitted by Apri130 each year. <br />Surface and underground protection measures for springs aze presented in Section 2.05.6(6). <br />Augmentation and other mitigation measures for surface water rights that may be impacted are <br />presented eazlier in this section. <br />Groundwater <br />Groundwater data (including baseline information for the 6 new monitoring wells) aze also being <br />obtained as presented in Section 2.04.7 and, more specifically, at locations identified on Table 4. <br />The groundwater resources that are monitored or proposed for monitoring are shown on Map 34. <br />These include both an upgradient (SOM-3B and SOM-3E) and downgradient (OI-11-1 and 03-I 1-1) <br />monitoring well in both the B and E Seams, respectively. These wells have been recently <br />constructed so as to be able to assess both background (upgradient) and potentially affected <br />(downgradient) groundwater conditions in the current B Seam mining azeas as well as the proposed <br />E Seam mining. It is recognized that monitoring well SOM-3E is not upgradient of all proposed <br />mining areas within the SOD. However, MCC will construct, as needed, additional upgradient <br />wells and obtain baseline water quality and quantity information for a minimum of one yeaz prior to <br />mining those azeas. The downgradient monitoring wells are located so as to be unaffected by <br />mining and therefore adequately located so as to assess potential mining impacts. These monitoring <br />wells are also appropriately located so as to be able to assess the potential migration of groundwater <br />from within the MCC mine workings to locations outside the permit area. <br />Baseline data fot groundwater are also being obtained as presented in Section 2.04.7 and, more <br />specifically, on Table 5. The groundwater resources that are monitored or proposed for monitoring <br />are shown on Map 34. <br />Monitoring to determine the hydrologic consequences to groundwater is by seasonal measurements <br />(three times per yeaz to correspond to the start of spring runoff, the peak spring runoff, and the fall <br />low flow) of water level, well water pH, conductivity, and temperature are taken for all monitored <br />wells. Seasonal sampling and analysis of TDS, Fe, and Mn of the facility area wells and alluvial <br />wells shown on Table 5 are also completed. Annually, during the third sampling, afull-suite sample <br />analysis consisting of pH, conductivity, temperature, total dissolved solids (TDS), calcium, <br />magnesium, sodium, SAR, .hardness, bicazbonate, chloride, un-ionized ammonia, nitrate/nitrite, <br />phosphate (PO4 s as P), sulfate, iron (total and dissolved), manganese (total and dissolved), arsenic, <br />cadmium, lead, mercury, selenium, and zinc. All pazameters aze analyzed for their dissolved form <br />unless stated otherwise. <br />A seasonal, rather than quarterly or semi-annual well and water quality monitoring schedule was <br />instituted for a variety of reasons. The primary reason for selecting seasonal sampling is that, in the <br />case of groundwater monitoring, these are the only periods of significant changes in groundwater <br />levels. The groundwater baseline data clearly indicate that there is no reason to attempt to sample <br />these locations in the dead of winter. The adverse conditions encountered in the remote areas of the <br />2.05-256 Revised November 2004 PRIO <br />