1993-06-08_GENERAL DOCUMENTS - C1981041

• Permit No: C1981041
• IBM Index Class Name: General Documents
• Doc Date: 6/8/1993
• Doc Name: Proposed Decision & Findings of Compliance For RN2
• Permit Index Doc Type: FINDINGS
• Media Type: D
• Archive: No

Agricultural activities on the lower terraces and floodplain area
are flood irrigated with water derived from the Colorado River.
Some of the lower areas may be marginally subirrigated by alluvial
ground water. The proposed operation would not affect the quantity
of flow in the Colorado River stream/alluvial aquifer system.
Disposal of coal refuse material in an adjacent area, and the
discharge of mine water from underground workings could affect
water quality. The Division has assessed the possible affects of
these activities and has not identified any significant change in
water quality.
3. Surface coal mining and reclamation operations would be conducted
to preserve, throughout the mining and reclamation process , the
essential hydrologic functions of the alluvial valley floors .
The essential hydrologic functions of the Colorado River alluvial
valley floor are those geologic , hydrologic , topographic , and soil
characteristics that give the area the ability to support flood
irrigated agricultural activities . Subirrigation is a marginal
function that is limited to a few of the lower areas which are also
capable of flood irrigation. Since no mining activities would take
place within the alluvial valley floor, the geologic, topographic ,
and soil characteristics of the alluvial valley floor would be
unaffected. Mining activities are expected to have no effect on
the Rapid Creek/Cottonwood Creek hydrologic system. Water quality
in the Colorado River stream/alluvial aquifer system may be
slightly degraded but the ability to flood irrigate the alluvial
valley floors would not be affected .
The proposed operation is in compliance with the requirements of
this section.
1 . The Division has determined that alluvial valley floors exist
within the affected or adjacent area. Therefore , the following
findings are in order for the alluvial valley floors known as
the Rapid Creek Upper Terrace Deposits and Colorado River
Terraces .
The proposed activities will comply with the requirements of
the Act and the Regulations with respect to alluvial valley
floors (2.06.8(5)(a)( iii ) ) .
The operation proposed by the permittee produced coal in
commercial quantities and was located within or adjacent to an
alluvial valley floor prior to August 3, 1977 (4.24.3(4) (a) and
2 .06.8(5)(b)( i )(A) ) .
Therefore, the operations within a specific geographic area may
continue despite their proximity to an alluvial valley floor .
The specific geographic area has been delineated as the
Colorado River Valley.
Those areas identified in a reclamation plan approved by the
Mined Land Reclamation Board prior to August 3, 1977 , for a
surface coal mine (4.24. 3(4) and 2 .06.8(5) (b)( ii )(A) ) .
-45-