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West Elk Mine <br />The minimum E Seam overburden for springs in the South of Divide area is 480 feet <br />(Spring D-8), which occurs in the Deer Creek drainage above longwall panel E5. All other <br />springs have at least 500 feet of overburden above the E Seam. <br />Not all springs exhibit the same seasonal variation and many springs show wide annual <br />fluctuation. The primary controlling factor is the water source of the spring. If the spring issues <br />from alluvium or colluvium, the flows aze likely to be seasonal with a peak during the late spring <br />due to the alluvium/colluvium having high recharge/discharge rates. In contrast, water <br />originating from bedrock sources will be attenuated in reaching the spring, and typically not <br />exhibit a large seasonal fluctuation. <br />Reservoirs and Stock Ponds <br />The only reservoirs in the vicinity of the West Elk Mine are Minnesota and Beaver Reservoirs. <br />Only Minnesota Reservoir is located within the permit azea. However, a brief discussion of the <br />volumetric capacity of each follows. <br />Minnesota Reservoir has a storage capacity of approximately 467 acre-feet. The reservoir serves to <br />capture spring runoff and water imported via Deep Creek Ditch for releases during late summer. <br />Typically the reservoir will fill to its capacity by June/July and by September the reservoir will be <br />almost dry. Similazly, Beaver Reservoir serves as storage of snowmelt for late summer irrigation. <br />The reservoir has a decreed capacity of over 1600 acre-feet, however, under normal operating <br />• conditions, the reservoir yields about 680 acre-feet per year. <br />There aze approximately 37 stock ponds located within the existing permit area with an <br />additiona124 stock ponds in the South of Divide permit area. Although the exact dimensions of <br />each pond are not known, a typical pond stores approximately 0.5 acre-feet. Therefore, the total <br />storage capacity of the stock ponds within the permit area is approximately 30.5 acre-feet. <br />The results of the water quality monitoring for potentially affected surface waters are presented in <br />Table 17 and in the latest Annual Hydrology Report. Regional surface waters sampled included <br />downstream receiving waters such as Minnesota Creek and the North Fork. <br />C~ <br />2.04-106 Revised November7004 PR70 <br />