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river comes from snow melt in the Medicine Bow Range to the east. Spring flooding <br />decreases gradually in July and August to the base level. <br />Canadian River water quality samples taken upstream of mining activities, USGS Station <br />06619400, contain predominantly calcium and bicarbonate ions. Water quality samples taken <br />downstream from mining activity at USGS Station 06619450 show slightly higher <br />concentrations of magnesium, sulfate and nitrogen (NOZ & NO3). The nitrogen increases are <br />attributed to agricultural practices in the area. The permit application states that the higher <br />concentrations of magnesium and sulfate can be partially attributed to mining activities of the <br />area. Tables 13 and 14 of the permit application detail these water quality data. <br />The mine plan area is drained by ephemeral and intermittent stream systems. Starting at the <br />north end of the permit area and proceeding southward, one finds the Sudduth, Williams, <br />Bush and Bolton Draws (with watersheds of 3.6, 4.6, 4.8 and 6.8 square miles respectively). <br />Bolton Draw lays to the south of the permit area and could possibly be impacted by waters <br />from the mine plan area during heavy runoff events. The Marr Strip drainage systems roughly <br />parallel each other and flow to the northeast where they join with the Canadian River, <br />approximately one mile east of the permit area. In 1979, USGS Station 06619420 was <br />installed in Williams Draw downstream from the Marr permit area. This monitoring station <br />has shown that flows occur primarily in response to snowmelt that begins in April and extends <br />usually through May. During this period combined flows of snowmelt and thundershowers <br />have yielded runoff rates of up to 20 cfs. Normally, June runoff decreases rapidly and by July, <br />runoff has usually ceased. Occasional thunderstorms may initiate stream flow temporarily. In <br />November, freezing generally occurs and no steamflow is noted until spring thaw some time in <br />April. <br />In this area, baseline ephemeral and intermittent stream water quality analyses show a water <br />with calcium and bicarbonate ion concentrations in an alkaline water with high suspended <br />loads. Minor amounts of iron and sulfates are found in these waters naturally. Baseline total <br />dissolved solids levels range from 68 to 1390 mg/1. The mean value is SOS.S mg/I. <br />In a review of surface water analyses, little degradation of surface waters has been noted. <br />Depending on precipitation, few ponds discharge, and flow into the Draws is intermittent. For <br />example, the tipple area sediment pond has never discharged. With no discharges at the <br />tipple area there appears to be little impacts to the surface water around this site. <br />Kerr Coal Company water rights and water augmentation planning are detailed in Volume 10 <br />Exhibit 2S. The Augmentation Plan lists a total water consumption of 69.46 acre feet per <br />year. The figure includes 66.9 acre feet for pond dead storage and 2.56 acre feet consumed <br />for dust suppression, other industrial usage and sanitary needs. Kerr Coal claims the 315.2 <br />acre feet of water rights for potential mitigation of adverse impacts to surrounding water users. <br />Based upon the data, Kerr Coal has adequate water rights to mitigate adverse impacts to <br />neighboring water users. <br />Marr Strip Mine, C-80-006 17 December 9, 1992 <br />