Laserfiche WebLink
<br />The permit area is located 1/2 to 1 mile from the alluvial valley floor, and would not <br />affect farming activities. <br />2. The proposed surface coal mining operations would not materially damage the quantity <br />and quality of water in surface and groundwater systems that supply those alluvial <br />valley floors or portions of alluvial valley floors. <br />The Canadian River system receives most of its flow from snowmelt in the Medicine <br />Bow Range to the east of the proposed mine site (p. 779-49). Tributary watersheds <br />that cross the mine site and adjacent areas area at a lower elevation, in an area of low <br />precipitation. Therefore, these watersheds contribute only a minor amount of surface <br />water and alluvial groundwater to the Canadian River AVF. <br />3. Surface coal mining and reclamation operations would be conducted to preserve, <br />throughout the mining and reclamation process, the essential hydrologic functions of <br />the alluvial valley floor. <br />The alluvial valley floor would not be physically disturbed. The applicant's discussion <br />of probable hydrologic effects (p. 780-123 to 780-126jjjjj) has identified several surface <br />water effects caused by the mining operations, However, these effects are for the most <br />part temporary and occur in watersheds that supply only a minor amount of flow to the <br />AVF. These effects would not disturb the essential hydrologic functions of the <br />Canadian River alluvial valley floor. <br />Alluvial Valley Floor -Bolton Draw -Findings <br />1. The proposed surface coal mining operations would not interrupt, discontinue, or <br />preclude farming on an alluvial valley floor. <br />None of the proposed mining operations would be located within the alluvial valley <br />floor. In addition, most of the surface coal mining operations included in this permit, <br />within the Bolton Draw watershed have already been conducted under previous mining <br />permits. <br />2. The proposed operations would not materially damage the quantity and quality of water <br />in surface and groundwater systems that supply those alluvial valley floors or portions <br />of alluvial valley floors. <br />The surface waters that supply the 55 acre flood irrigated pasture are originally derived <br />from the Michigan River. The effects described in the applicant's statement of <br />probably hydrologic consequences (p. 780-123 to 780-126jjjjj) do not affect this source. <br />Marr Strip Mine, C-80-006 27 December 9, 1992 <br />