REV95813

• Permit No: C1980007
• IBM Index Class Name: Revision
• Doc Name: MINING AND RECLAMATION PLAN MT GUNNISON 1 MINE
• Type & Sequence: TR56
• Media Type: D
• Archive: No

MINING AND RECLAMATION PLAN April, 7987
MT. GUNNISON NO. 1 MINE Revised October, 1989
Springs, illustrates the locations of the decreed springs on the Mt. Gunnison No. 1 Mine lease
area and vicinity. Appendix B &, Review and Analysis of Spring Geology and Hydrology West
• Elk Coai Company, is an analysis of the spring monitoring program for the Mt. Gunnison No.
1 Mine and a detailed discussion of the spring monitoring program as revised in 1984.
Figures 2.8.1.D.1 through 19 provide a graphic representaticn of the flow data available for
the springs monitored from 1984 to date. Additionally, Figures 2.8.1.M through T depict water
quality trends for major ions for the monitored springs with sufficient water quality data.
WECC has revised downward the anticipated annual coal production for the Mt. Gunnison
No.1 Mine. The mine plan, Exhibit 3.4.4.8.2, has been revised to reflect the expected reduced
production. Additionally, Exhibit 3.4.4.13.3 depicts a potential level of production of
approximately twice the expected level. WECC will, in the Annual Hydrology Report (AHR),
provide an estimate of coal production for the upcoming year, and this should be looked at
as strictly an estimate and readers should realize this number may change based on market
condition, etc.
WECC provides in the AHR a detailed assessment of mining impacts of the past year and
potential mining impacts for the upcoming year. Also included in the AHR are the analyses
of hydrologic data gathered during the year to assess the impacts of mining on the quality
and quantity of streams, springs, groundwater aquifers, mine inflows and mine discharges
(water balance) which may exist in the permit area. An assessment of the impacts of the
Lower Refuse Pile to the hydrologic balance during the previous year will be included in the
AHR. Amine map of the locations of the mine inflows and the quantity, source, and duration -
of inflows will also be included. WECC will state the adequacy or inadequacy of the current
monitoring plan in the AHR. The AHR wilt be submitted by April 30 of the following year.
• Currently, it is estimated that it might be a long as 10 years before mining will take place
south of the Minnesota Creek watershed divide. As a result, there is no need to operate and
maintain the entire spring monitoring network until mining advances to a point where a
specific spring might be impacted. Rather, monitoring of some of the springs will be stopped
until the summer before mining impacts can be expected at which time monitoring of the
springs will be resumed. Monitoring will continue on a seasonal basis, for springs G-1 a, G-
12, G-14, G-16, G-20, G-22, and G-24 (see revised Table 2.8.2.1.
In the Minnesota Creek drainage basin, monitoring will be discontinued for all springs until
the summer before mining impacts can be expected, at which time monitoring of the springs
will be resumed. Monitoring of a group of three spring (U-25, G-28a and G-31) in the Gribble
Gulch and one spring (G-26a) in Lone Pine Gulch will be discontinued. A major landslide,
off the lease area, has blocked the usual access route to these springs. Their location south
of the river and west of the very steep topography and landslide features near Somerset
precludes development of an alternative access route.
Seasonal measurements (three times per year to correspond to the start of spring runoff, the
peak spring runoff, and the tall low flow) of sorinq flow, pH conductivity, temperature, total
iron total manoanese total dissolved solids and total suspended solids will be taken for the
monitored springs and reported on an annual basis. A seasonal, rather than quarterly or
semi-annual spring flow and water quality monitoring schedule will be instituted for a variety
of reasons. The primary reason for selecting seasonal sampling is that, in the case of spring
flows, these are the only periods of measurable flow. Most of the springs are ephemeral or
• intermittent at best, except in the wettest years. The spring flow baseline data, summarized
graphically in Figures 2.8.1.D.1 through 19 clearly indicate that there is no reason to attempt
to sample these locations in the dead of winter. The adverse
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