REV10616 - Laserfiche WebLink

Home Browse Search

from the mine plan area during heavy runoff events. The Marr Strip drainage systems roughly pazallel each other and flow to the northeast where they join with the Canadian River, approximately one mile east of the permit area. In 1979, USGS Station 06619420 was installed in Williams Draw downstream from the Marr permit area. This monitoring station has shown that flows occur primarily in response to snowmelt that begins in April and usually extends through May. During this period, combined flows of snowmelt and thundershowers have yielded runoff rates of up to 20 cfs. Normally, June runoff decreases rapidly and, by July, runoff has usually ceased. Occasional thunderstorms may initiate streamflow temporarily. In November, freezing generally occurs, and no streamflow is noted until spring thaw some time in April. In this area, baseline ephemeral and intermittent stream water quality analyses show a water with calcium and bicazbonate ion concentrations in an alkaline water with high suspended loads. Minor amounts of iron and sulfates are found in these waters naturally. Baseline total dissolved solids range from 68 to 1390 mg/l. The mean value is 505.5 mg/1. In a review of surface water analyses, little degradation of surface waters has been noted. Depending on precipitation, few ponds discharge, and flow into the draws in intermittent. The tipple area sediment pond appears to have never discharged. With no dischazges at the tipple area, there appeaz to be little impacts to the surface water around this site. Kerr Coal Company water rights and water augmentation planning aze detailed in Volume 10, Exhibit 25. The Augmentation Plan lists a total water consumption of 69.46 acre-feet per year. The figure includes 66.9 acre-feet for pond dead storage and 2.56 acre-feet consumed for dust suppression, other industrial usage, and sanitary needs. Kerr Coal claims the 3]5.2 acre-feet of water rights for potential mitigation of adverse impacts to surrounding water users. Based upon the data, Kerr Coal has adequate water rights to mitigate adverse impacts to neighboring water users. 4. The Division finds that the permit area is, subject to valid rights existing as of August 3, 1997, not within: a) An area designated unsuitable for surface coal mining operations (2.07.6(2)(d)(i)); b) An area under study for designation as unsuitable for surface coal mining operations (2.07.6(2)(d)(ii)); c) The boundaries of the National Park System; the National Wildlife Refuge System; the National System of Trails; the National Wilderness Preservation System; the Wild and Scenic Rivers System, including rivers under study for designation; or National Recreation Areas (2.07.6(2)(d)(iii)(A)); d) Three hundred feet of any public building, school, church, community or institutional building, or public park (2.07.6(2)(d)(iii)(B)); e) One hundred feet of a cemetery (2.07.6(2)(d)(iii)(C)); Mart Mine Permit Renewal 04 11 January, 2002 -16-