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Description of Mining Activities <br />NPDES Permit CO^0027154 regulates the discharge parameters for <br />outfalls servicing three separate CDMG mining permits. The three <br />mining permits covered under this NPDES permit are: Colorado Yampa <br />Coal Company's Mines 1, 2, and Eckman Park Permit C-81-071; <br />Colorado Yampa Coal Company's Mine No. 3 Permit C-84-062 (Mine 3 <br />South); and Twentymile Coal Company's Foidel Creek Mine Permit C- <br />82-056. These operations are subsidiaries of Cyprus Yampa Valley <br />Coal Corporation, the designated permittee under NPDES Permit CO- <br />0027154. <br />- The Colorado Yampa Coal Company Mine No. 3 is located <br />approximately 20 miles southwest of Steamboat Springs, Colorado in <br />Twentymile Park. This was primarily a surface coal mining operation <br />with limited underground mining. The surface mine, which was <br />active between 1974 and 1980, was called Mine No. 3 and was a truck <br />and shovel operation. The underground operation, known as the <br />Middle Creek Mine, was faced-up in a Mine No. 3 highwall. <br />Underground operations began May 16, 1979, but the mine was <br />abandoned on June 5, 1980 due to adverse mining conditions. No <br />significant amounts of coal were extracted by the underground <br />operation, with the Wadge coal seam being extracted by both mines. <br />There is no active mining in this area and a total of approximately <br />355 acres are under bond, within an approximate 1,360 acre total <br />permit area (Refer to enclosed SWMP map). <br />Mine 3 straddles the confluence of Middle and Foidel Creeks. A <br />small portion of Mine No. 3 drains into Fish Creek; however, bond <br />has been released for most of this area. The Mine No. 3 area has <br />been backfilled, regraded, and revegetated. An administrative <br />facility located in the Mine 3 area is still used by Colorado Yampa <br />Coal Company and the Trout Creek Ranch. County Road #33 runs <br />through the site, as does County Road #179. <br />Please note that only those portions of the Mine 3 operations SOUTH <br />of County Road #33 are being addressed under this SWMP, in <br />conjunction with outfall 010. Those portions of the Mine 3 <br />operation NORTH of County Road #33 will be addressed under the SWMP <br />required for NPDES Permit COG-850013. <br />- CYCC MINES 1,2, and ECKMAN PARK <br />The method of mining utilized by CYCC consisted of a <br />dragline type operation. Topsoil was stripped by scrapers and <br />segregated into topsoil stockpiles or reapplied directly onto <br />regraded spoils. Following mining operations spoils were graded <br />to approximately the original contour and topsoil was replaced over <br />the spoil material. The seed bed was then prepared and planted <br />during the summer and fall. Topsoil was ripped prior to planting to <br />relieve compaction and increase surface roughness. Contour furrows <br />were installed on steep slopes to help stabilize the site and <br />Page 1 <br />