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<br />The only other AVF identified in the vicinity of the Trapper Mine is Flume <br />Gulch. JJo mining disturbance covered under the proposed 5-year permit terns is <br />located within the Flume Gulch drainage area. Mining activities will not <br />disturb any portion of the drainage area until the next 5-year permit term. <br />In addition, because of the dip of the strata (see the Geology portion of this <br />document), all ground water flow from the mine area is directed deep beneath <br />all the small drainages in the vicinity of the mine. Therefore, the proposed <br />mining operations in this 5-year permit term should not impact the Flume Gulch <br />AVF. <br />Based on the preceding discussion, the Division makes the following findings <br />regarding AVFs in the vicinity of the Trapper Mine: <br />(1) Surface coal mining and reclamation operations will not interrupt, <br />discontinue, or preclude farming on alluvial valley floors. <br />(2) Surface coal mining and reclamation operations will not cause <br />material damage to the quality or quantity of water in surface or <br />underground water systems that supply alluvial valley floors. <br />(3) Surface coal mining and reclamation operations will be conducted to <br />preserve, throughout the mining and reclamation process, the <br />essential hydrologic functions of alluvial valley floors. <br />AVF Monitori <br />Because the potential for mining-related impacts to occur in the Yampa River <br />and Williams Fork River AVFs is negligible, no hydrologic monitoring is <br />required. However, the applicant has initiated hydrologic monitoring in Flume <br />Gulch. The monitoring plan will be adequate to detect any mining-related <br />impacts if inflicted upon the AYFs. <br />VIII. Water Rights and Replacement (Rules 2.04.7(3), 2.05.6(3)(a)(ii <br />Surface and ground water rights recorded with the State Engineer's office <br />within the general area of the mine are summarized on Map 31 and discussed in <br />Sections 2.7.5.4 (pp. 2-524 to 2-524,0 , 4.8.2.1 (pp. 4-223 to 4-2241, and <br />4.8.2.2 (pp, 4-224 to 4-2-26b) of the permit application. <br />Trapper Mine holds permit No, 1°872-F for Well GD-1 (see Map 52) to supply <br />domestic and industrial water for the mine's operation. This well is <br />completed in the Twentymile sandstone, Trapper Mine has also permitted their <br />open pits as a well (No. 22140-F) since ground water collects in the pits and <br />dewatering is periodically required. Because some beneficial use is made of <br />this water as well as some evaporative loss occurs, an augmentation plan has <br />also been approved to replace this water from surface water rights owned by <br />the mine. ,y/ <br />During the first permit term, the Division app ed minor revision allowing <br />the mine to employ a series of expendable well~pdip from and on strike with <br />the advancing pits to dewater the bedrock sectfo;? being drained by the pits <br />and to eliminate the need to periodically pump the pits themselves. The <br />locations and completion data for these wells will be supplied to the division <br />-20- <br />