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1. Surface coal mining and reclamation operations shall be conducted to preserve, <br /> throughout the mining and reclamation process, the essential hydrologic <br /> functions of alluvial valley floors not within an affected area. These functions <br /> shall be preserved by 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 to <br /> reestablish, throughout the mining and reclamation process, the essential <br /> hydrologic functions of alluvial valley floors within an affected area. These <br /> functions shall be reestablished by reconstructing those geologic, hydrologic and <br /> biologic characteristics that support those functions (Rule 4.24.2(2)). <br /> The revised mining and subsidence protection plan for the Minnesota Creek <br /> basin and augmentation plan for Minnesota Creek ensure protection of all water <br /> rights with potential to be affected by future mining in the Minnesota Creek <br /> drainage basin. For further information, see the Minnesota Creek Drainage <br /> Evaluation section of the CHIS. Further, Stipulation No. 1 ensures that no <br /> mining will be permitted within the Minnesota Creek basin until the Office of <br /> Mined Land Reclamation has received a copy of an adjudicated plan of <br /> augmentation. <br /> 2. Surface coal mining and reclamation operations shall not interrupt, discontinue, <br /> or preclude farming on alluvial valley floors (Rule 4.24.3(1)). <br /> The revised mining plan and mitigation plan for the Minnesota Creek drainage <br /> will ensure that no material damage will occur to AVF's within or adjacent to <br /> the affected area. For further details see the Minnesota Creek Drainage <br /> Evaluation section of the CHIS. Further, Stipulation No. 1 ensures that no <br /> mining will be permitted within the Minnesota Creek basin until the Office of <br /> Mined Land Reclamation has received a copy of an adjudicated plan of <br /> augmentation. <br /> 3. An environmental monitoring system shall be installed, maintained, and <br /> operated by the petmittee on all alluvial valley floors during surface coal mining <br /> and reclamation operations and continued until all bonds are released in <br /> accordance with Rule 3 (Rule 4.24.5(1)). <br /> Currently, the water monitoring plan for the West Elk Mine/Minnesota Creek <br /> drainage includes: 1) continuous flow monitoring from stream gages located on <br /> Horse Creek, South Prong, Lick Creek, Upper Dry Fork, Lower Dry Fork, <br /> Minnesota Creek above Dry Fork, and East Fork outflow from Beaver <br /> Reservoir which includes daily flow and maximum, minimum, and mean flows <br /> for each month; 2) quarterly measurement of water quality (including pH, <br /> temperature, dissolved oxygen, turbidity, and electrical conductivity) at gaging <br /> stations of all streams previously mentioned, except for East Fork outflow from <br /> Beaver Reservoir; 3) quarterly-measurement-of flow on five springs in the north <br /> half of the Dry Fork Minnesota Creek basin; 4) quarterly measurement of <br /> precipitation at the Horse Creek storage gage; and, 5) three new alluvial <br /> 53 <br />