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No alluvial valley floors (AVFs), as defined in Rule 1.04(10), exist within the permit area. Alluvial <br />deposits along the North Fork of the Gunnison River below the town of Somerset have been found <br />to meet the geomorphic criteria and irrigation requirements of an alluvial valley floor. This area will <br />not be affected by the operation. The facilities area at the Beaz No. 3 Mine is located on alluvial <br />material adjacent to the North Fork of the Gunnison River, and this has been the case since 1934. <br />This alluvial material does not meet the criteria for designation as an alluvial valley floor. <br />As noted in Bear Coal Company's 1995 Annual Hydrologic Report, beginning in June of 1995, <br />personnel at the Bear No. 3 Mine began to notice a measurable amount of water building behind the <br />seals in the 3rd West Section. The source of this water was undetermined since during development <br />of the 3rd West no measurable water was encountered. In June of 1995, this mine inflow averaged <br />approximately 18 gallons per minute (gpm), which was consumed during the normal mining process. <br />During 1996, water reportedly continued to flow from the 3rd West seals. Water also began flowing <br />from the bleeder seals in the 2nd West Section. This additional inflow overcame the mine's ability <br />to consume inflows during normal mining processes. Bear Coal Company found it necessary to <br />discharge mine inflow water to the North Fork ofthe Gunnison River during 1996. This discharge <br />to the North Fork of the Gunnison River was stopped in the later part of 1996 when mining <br />operations were discontinued at the Bear No. 3 Mine. <br />On November 11, 1996, the Beaz Coal Company permanently ceased all mining operations at the <br />Beaz No. 3 Mine due to geological conditions encountered in the mine. The three existing portals at <br />the Bear No. 3 Mine were permanently sealed. Discharge pipes were installed to allow for potential <br />drainage from each of the sealed portals. Because the Bear No. 3 Mine has been sealed, no further <br />information is currently available on mine inflow to the 3rd West Section or any other potential <br />inflow to other areas of the mine. <br />On November 15, 1997, slide activity occurred in an area located immediately west of the Beaz No. 3 <br />Mine portals. Debris from the slide flowed onto the old coal stockpile pad and into the North Fork <br />ofthe Gunnison River below the mine access bridge. On November 17, 1997 Bear personnel noted <br />water flowing from an area to the east of the slide scarp (immediately west of the sealed Edwards <br />Mine Portal). According to recent monitoring reports from the Beaz Coal Company and <br />measurements taken by the Division, this spring is continuing to flow at approximately 37 gpm. Of <br />particular interest, the water emanating from this spring has an unusually high temperature for <br />groundwater (approximately 80-85 degrees Fahrenheit). The water is currently being diverted into a <br />spring water treatment pond and, then, discharged through a pipe into the North Fork of the <br />Gunnison River. The Division is continuing to investigate the origin of this water. <br />Surface Water- <br />Surface water information for the Bear No. 3 Mine is presented in Section 2.04.7, 2.05.3 and 4.05 <br />and Map 10 (Mine Facilities) of the Bear No. 3 permit application. <br />Surface runoff from the undisturbed portions of the Bear permit area flows directly into the North <br />Fork of the Gunnison River through small ephemeral drainages. The North Fork of the Gunnison is <br />8 <br />