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<br />Load-Out Facility <br />The probable hydrologic consequences of operations at the Canadian Strip Mine <br />load-out facility are negligible. This facility is adjacent to the Illinois <br />River alluvium, but is not thought to be hydraulically connected. <br />All coal fines currently on site will be removed from the facility. Drainage <br />ditches and berms will be reestablished on site which, historically, have <br />prevented discharge, and promote evaporation. Upon reclamation, the site will <br />be returned to industrial use. <br />Cumulative Hydrologic Impact Assessment <br />Surface Water Assessment <br />A cumulative hydrologic impact assessment was conducted by the Division at the <br />time of original permit approval. This study indicated that at the maximum <br />extent of mining at both the Canadian and Marr Strip mines, approximately 20% <br />of the drainage area of Bolton Draw would be detained in sediment ponds. <br />Based on the expected salt loading with pit pumpage, the effect of dilution <br />served to mitigate the increase in TDS in surface waters discharged from the <br />site. Discharges would be infrequent and occur only during snowmelt events <br />when further dilution would be expected in the receiving stream. It is not <br />anticipated that any adverse effects on either the quality or quantity of <br />Canadian River water will occur due to mining operations in the region. <br />Justification for this conclusion is as follows: <br />1. The Canadian River receives the majority of its water from snowmelt in <br />the Rawah Ranqe to the east in an area unaffected by any of the mining <br />activities. <br />2. Annual precipitation in the region averages only eleven (11) inches, most <br />of which occurs as snow. Therefore, the limited amount of runoff is <br />principally from snowmelt and must flow for some distance through <br />ephemeral channels allowing for waters to be diluted and lost to alluvial <br />recharge. <br />3. All waters leaving the sites are treated in sediment ponds and the <br />majority of these waters are used at the site for dust control. <br />As Pit 1 will be fully reclaimed during the permit period, and Pit 2 will not <br />be developed as originally planned, the quality and quantity of surface water <br />discharges will approach their pre-mining conditions. The cumulative effect <br />of this downstream will be to limit any degradation of surface water quality. <br />As such, the operations as proposed have been designed to mitigate any <br />off-site impacts and will not cause material damage to the hydrologic balance. <br />Ground Water Assessment <br />The cumulative impacts to the ground water regime will be a result of the <br />Canadian Strip Mine, the Bourg Strip Mine and the adjacent Marr Strip Mine. <br />All of these operations have recovered the Sudduth Coal seam. <br /> <br />15 <br />