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extent of the subsidence-induced fracture system will ensure that springs in the Barren Member are undisturbed. No disturbance of adjacent springs fed by alluvial sources is expected because the mining was not conducted under any alluvial valley deposits. The limited amounts of groundwater present in the B-Seam that were disturbed by mining at the Bear No. 3 Mine will not result in any impact on any naturally occurring springs associated with the B-Seam. Vertical subsidence-induced fractures will not extend into aquifers that supply water to springs associated with the Barren Member; therefore, no impact on these springs is anticipated. No significant depletion of groundwater in the B-Seam is expected to result from mining activities at Bear No. 3. Small amounts of water entered the mine from walls, roof and floor in recently mined areas. These inflows reportedly ceased one to two weeks after the area was mined. The small inflows directly related to mining and the lack of any recorded mine dischazges indicated that there was a low potential for significant impact to groundwater resources due to Bear Coal Company's mining activities in the B-Seam. However, due to the increase in B-Seam mining area that resulted from approval of Permit Revision No. 2, it is likely that infiltration into the subsided B-Seam may occur in volumes significant enough to cause discharge into the North Fork of the Gunnison River via the B-Seam contact. If this occurs, the water is likely to be of degraded quality, especially with respect to dissolved solids. It is not believed that this will have a significant overall impact on water quality in the North Fork of the Gunnison River. Precipitation and snowmelt on the Bear No. 3 facilities azea will infiltrate the underlying alluvial material. The North Fork of the Gunnison River is hydrologically connected to the alluvial material. Therefore, groundwater quantity and quality in the alluvial material underlying the Beaz No. 3 facilities are closely related to water quality and flow of the adjacent river. Disturbance of the alluvial material is not expected to significantly reduce the quantity of water present in the alluvial material underlying the facilities azea. Some degradation of the alluvial aquifer below the Beaz No. 3 facilities area is anticipated primarily due to the potential for contaminants to leach from the former coal pad stockpile area. The potential impacts aze not considered significant, because adequate dilution of any effluent generated at the Bear No. 3 Mine will mitigate any effects of reduced water quality in the Bear No. 3 facilities area alluvium. In addition, the coal stockpile was removed during reclamation activities at the Beaz No. 3 Mine site. 3. Surface Water Effects 21