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the permit for locations of the small area exemptions. <br />B. Hydrologic Monitoring Program <br />Water monitoring at the Coal Ridge No. 1 Mine currently consists of Colorado <br />Discharge Permit System (CDPS) monitoring at Pond A. Prior to reclamation <br />of the site, groundwater was monitored in seven colluvial wells. At the time of <br />site reclamation, the Division found that groundwater monitoring was no longer <br />necessary. This finding was based on the facts that the mine never produced <br />coal, the portal entries did not encounter groundwater, and monitoring from <br />1984 to 1994 indicated the limited development work prior to reclamation had <br />not impacted groundwater quality or quantity. <br />Surface water monitoring at the site was not required, aside from CDPS <br />monitoring, since surface water impacts from the mine were not predicted. <br />C. Probable Hydrologic Consequences <br />The Probable Hydrologic Consequences section of the original Findings <br />Document stated that mixing of ground waters of the Rollins Sandstone and <br />Wheeler Coal was possible due to fracturing associated with mine development. <br />Only very minor, unmeasurable water inflow occurred in the No. 2 mine tunnel, <br />and none in the No. 1 tunnel. This is due in part to the cessation of operations <br />at the site since 1987. Portals No. 1 and No. 2 were only partially drilled (613 <br />feet and 576 feet respectively) into the Mancos shale. Therefore, it is highly <br />unlikely that the tunnels modified the groundwater conditions. <br />Another predicted impact of the Coal Ridge No. 1 operation was water quality <br />degradation (due to natural seeps found in the area) associated with the refuse <br />disposal area. This impact never occurred because the refuse pile was never <br />constructed. <br />Due to minor fracturing within the Wheeler coal seam and the Rollins <br />sandstone, there is some potential that ground water could cross-communicate <br />between these two seams. However, neither of these rock units are utilized for <br />ground water within the vicinity of the mine and, due to the extreme dip of the <br />bedrock, development of water from these seams outside the permit area would <br />be economically prohibitive. For these reasons, significant impacts to ground <br />water quality and quantity in bedrock from mining at the Coal Ridge No. 1 <br />Mine were not expected to occur. Additionally, mining never advanced to the <br />Wheeler seam, so additional fracturing of the Wheeler did not occur. <br />The alluvium in the mine area is recharged from contact with surface water of <br />the Colorado River and its tributaries, and from upland sheet flow and snow <br />melt. The alluvial bodies adjacent to the Colorado River will release water back <br />to the surface water system during periods of low flow. Therefore, any impacts <br />Coal Ridge No. 1 Mine 13 Permit Renewal No. 3 <br />