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-16- ~• VII. Alluvial Valley Floors - Rules 2.06.8 and 4.24 (con's) No faming activities will be physically affected by these surface impacts. The only land use type which will be directly affected is rangeland. The conclusion is, therefore, that the surface disturbance related to the operation is limited in extent and will not directly affect any farming activities on the alluvial valley floor. An area of irrigated cropland is located an the East Salt Creek alluvial valley floor approximately '~ mile dowestream of McClane Canyon. Irrigation occurs through a series of diversion ditches carrying the surface flow to various parts of the field. The essential hydrologic functions far this portion of the alluvial floors are related to surface flow. Surface water and ground water quality and quantity will be monitored during the permit term as specified earlier in this document. The monitoring program is designed to identify any effects which may occur as a result of the mining operation. No adverse effects are anticipated and the Division staff ecpect the monitoring program to provide proof of this contention. Salt Creek Paining Company has also agreed to secure annual production data from the farmer dovastream of the operation. This production data is to. be considered as secondary to the vater monitoring program because fluctuations in annual production can also result from factors which are independent of the mining operation. Therefore, pursuant to Rule 2.06.8(5)(i), the Division finds that the proposed surface coal mining operations would not interrupt, discontinue, or preclude farming oa an, a1lvvial valley floor. Alluvial Valley Floor Findings with Regard to Pfaterial Damage to Water Quality and Quantity- There will be no discharge of water from the mine workings. No development waste or roof fall rock will be disposed of or stored on the bench or any pazt of the disturbed area. The only potential effect of the operation on water quality is through the introduction of suspended solids into runoff from the disturbed area. Runoff generated from the disturbed surface of the mine will be contained within a sedimentation system. Undisturbed flow from upland areas will be diverted around the disturbance and will be unaffected by the operation. The sediment system is designed to minimize the contribution of suspended solids to runoff from the disturbed areas. Water will flow through a system of ditches and culverts into a sediment pond. The sediment pond is designed to detain the runoff for a sufficient period to allow sediment to settle out prior to routing the flow back into [he natural drainage. Discharge from the pond must meet NPDES and t4ined Land Reclamation Division effluent standards. There will be no significant adverse effect on water quality resulting from this operation.