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developed at the Auger E Area. The highwall was initially retained as a portal faceup to <br />develop the exposed highwall of Auger Area E for recovery of the Cow Camp underground <br />reserves. Seneca Coal Company has abandoned plans for using the Auger Area E as a portal <br />location at the present time, and reclamation has been completed at this location. <br />XIII. Operations on Alluvial Valley Floors <br />Information pertinent to alluvial valley floor (AVF) determinations is provided in Volumes 4, <br />5, and 6, Tab 7, of the permit application. Additional information used by the Division in the <br />identification of potential AVF locations was Map 15 (Alluvial Valley Floors, Land Use and <br />Water Rights) from the Foidel Creek life-of--mine permit application (C-82-056). <br />Potentially affected portions of Fish Creek and the lower reaches of Trout Creek below Fish <br />Creek have previously been evaluated with respect to AVF criteria in the review oftwo coal <br />permits; the Foidel Creek Mine (C-82-056) and Fish Creek Tipple (C-81-036). Selected <br />alluvial deposits along Fish Creek and lower Trout Creek were determined to be AVFs by the <br />Division as referenced in the respective permit findings documents. <br />The previous AVF finding made by the Division at the time of initial permit approval for <br />Seneca II Mine included an exemption for operations conducted prior to August 3, 1977 <br />within or adjacent to an AVF. The lands to which this grandfather clause apply are located <br />within the Grassy Creek drainage. A 45 acre area near the confluence of Little Grassy Creek <br />and Grassy Creek and a 40 acre area along Little Grassy Creek which have been identified as <br />AVFs remain exempt and, as such, were not reevaluated. <br />Non-exempted areas in the Fish Creek drainage basin were reexamined in 1986, in <br />conjunction with a regional AVF study conducted by the Division, to identify if any <br />significant impacts would occur from the proposed operations at Seneca II Mine. <br />The areas which were reexamined as potential AVFs within the Fish Creek basin include <br />alluvial bodies along two tributaries of Fish Creek, referred to as Cow Camp Creek and Bond <br />Creek, and the reach of Fish Creek between Cow Camp Creek and the confluence with Trout <br />Creek. Based on the Division's review of materials submitted by the applicant on May 27, <br />1981 and infrared aerial photography reviewed more recently, the alluvial bodies adjacent to <br />Cow Camp and Bond Creeks did not meet the requirements for AVFs. This negative <br />determination was made in both instances due to the fact that the meandering nature of the <br />channels severely limits the farmable acreage within each drainage. <br />During the Division's review of the adjacent Foidel Creek life-of--mine permit revision <br />(C-82-056), the Division reevaluated potential AVFs in Twentymile Park. <br />Infrared photography and field investigations indicated that the Fish Creek alluvial body was, <br />in places, flood irrigated, and was generally sub-irrigated, potentially farmable land. Based <br />on these investigations, the Division has determined that the Fish Creek alluvial body met the <br />criteria of an AV F. This AVF extends the length of Fish Creek to its confluence with Trout <br />37 <br />