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<br /> <br />Alluvial valley Floors - Findings (Minnesota Creek Drainage <br />"Future and Anticipated Mining") <br />Based on the above information, the Division makes the following <br />findings: <br />Surface coal mining and reclamation operations shall be conducted <br />to preserve, throughout the mining and reclamation process, the <br />essential hydrologic functions of alluvial valley floors not within <br />an affected area. These functions shall be preserved by <br />maintaining those geologic, hydrologic, and biologic <br />characteristics that support those functions (Rule 4.24.2(1)). <br />Surface coal mining and reclamation operations shall be conducted <br />to reestablish, throughout the mining and reclamation process, the <br />essential hydrologic functions of alluvial valley floors within an <br />affected area. These functions shall be reestablished by <br />reconstructing those geologic, hydrologic and biologic <br />characteristics that support those functions (Rule 4.24.2(2)). <br />The revised mining and subsidence protection plan for the Minnesota <br />Creek basin and augmentation plan for Minnesota Creek ensure <br />protection of all water rights with potential to be affected by <br />future mining in the Minnesota Creek drainage basin. Water <br />supplying all identified AVF's will not be diminished in quantity <br />or quality. For further information, see the Minnesota Creek <br />Drainage Evaluation section of the CHIS. Further, Stipulation <br />No. 1 insures that no mining will be permitted within the Minnesota <br />Creek basin until Mined Land Reclamation Division has received a <br />copy of an adjudicated plan of augmentation. <br />2. Surface coal mining and reclamation operations shall not interrupt, <br />discontinue, or preclude farming on alluvial valley floors <br />(Rule 4.24.3(7)). <br />The revised mining plan and mitigation plan for the Minnesota Creek <br />drainage will insure that no material damage will occur to AVF's <br />within or adjacent to the affected area. For further details see <br />the Minnesota Creek Drainage Evaluation section of the CHIS. <br />Further, Stipulation No. 1 insures that no mining will be permitted <br />within the Minnesota Creek basin until Mined Lartd Reclamation <br />Division has received a copy of an adjudicated plan of augmentation. <br />3. An environmental monitoring system shall be installed, maintained, <br />and operated by the permittee on all alluvial valley floors during <br />surface coal mining and reclamation operations and continued until <br />all bonds are released in accordance with Rule 3 (Rule 4.24.5(1)). <br />26 <br />