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Upper Refuse Disposal Area - Potential impact to local surface <br /> water hydrology will be similar to that of the Lower Refuse <br /> Disposal Area and is discussed above. However, the upper <br /> pile has not yet been constructed and construction is not <br /> planned for this permit term. <br /> ii. Mitigation of Surface Water Impacts - <br /> Impacts to surface water during the five-year permit term are <br /> expected to be minimal. The operator predicts that no <br /> degradation of water quality in surface streams is expected. <br /> Drainage from the waste pile, mine water, and runoff from all <br /> disturbed areas will be passed through a sediment pond prior to <br /> discharge to the North Fork of the Gunnison River. <br /> The West Elk Mine has an extensive water monitoring plan to <br /> monitor surface water quality and quantity. West Elk is <br /> currently monitoring eleven stations. Seasonal (three times per <br /> year) water samples are taken at all surface water monitoring <br /> stations. Parameters measured include pH, conductivity, <br /> temperature, total dissolved solids, total suspended solids, total <br /> iron and total manganese. More specific details regarding <br /> MCC's water monitoring plan can be found beginning on page <br /> 2.05-57. <br /> 3. Summary and Findings <br /> The Division has examined the Probable Hydrologic Consequences due to <br /> mining operations for the ground water and surface water systems at the <br /> West Elk Mine. The Division fords that underground mining at the West <br /> Elk Mine will not have a significant impact on these water systems. The <br /> mine will take the necessary measures to ensure that mining will not affect <br /> the hydrologic regime (2.07.6(2)(c)). <br /> IV. Topsoil <br /> Baseline soils information can be found in Section 2.04.9 in Volume I in the permit <br /> application. A suitability analyses of the topsoil was performed before the site was <br /> disturbed. In most areas topsoil quality as seedbed material is considered moderate <br /> to good, with a few areas that are considered poor. Soil mapping and physical <br /> descriptions of the soil are based on SCS soil surveys completed for the area. <br /> The operator's topsoil salvage and redistribution plan can be found in Section <br /> 2.05.4. Topsoil and subsoil stockpiles are shown on Map 53. <br /> Topsoil will be removed ahead of surface disturbance activities. Any vegetative <br /> cover that would interfere with topsoil removal will be removed first. The West Elk <br /> Mine had already completed the majority of topsoil and vegetation removal when the <br /> 39 <br />