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-zz- <br />The main issues which must be resolved between the applicant and the <br />State Engineer's Office with regard to dewatering of flooded mine <br />workings are: 1) whether or not the water to be pumped from flooded mine <br />workings and water pumped from the industrial well is tributary to the <br />Cucharas River, and if so, 2) how will the applicant augment depletions <br />with their existing water rights and 3) how will the water be disposed <br />of. The applicant may not pump water from the old mine workings until <br />these concerns of the State Engineer have been resolved, and a permit <br />revision application has been received and approved oy the Division. <br />The proposed operation is in compliance with the requirements of this <br />section. <br />IX. Alluvial Vallev Floors - Rules 2.06.8 and 4.24 <br />The reconnaissance level alluvial valley floor study results can be found <br />in Section 2.06 of the permit application. <br />Two drainages were identified as potential AVF's based upon the existence <br />of unconsolidated stream-laid deposits. They are the Maitland Arroyo and <br />the Gordon Arroyo (see Map 8 of the permit application). Neither of <br />these drainages were found to meet the necessary criteria to be <br />identified as AVF's. This conclusion is confirmed both by the <br />applicant's reconnaissance study and a site visit conducted by a <br />representative of the Division. The basis for the conclusion is <br />discussed in greater detail below. <br />Much of the surface in the mine area is mantled by as much as 30 feet of <br />unconsolidated sedimentary deposits. The two potential NVF drainages <br />have incised into these deposits to a depth of up to 2U feet. The walls <br />of the incision are nearly vertical. Abroad stream channel has evolved <br />which ranges from 5 to 50 feet in width. The near-vertical walls of the <br />incised drainages provide across-section from which the underlying <br />near-surface geology can be viewed. Unconsolidated sands, silts, clays, <br />and small-diameter gravels dominate the observed geologic section. It <br />appears that the section represents several sequences of alluvial, <br />colluvial, and eolian deposition. It is very difficult to differentiate <br />between the different sequences. An extensive alluvial landfonn does not <br />appear to have developed. However, because unconsolidated stream-laid <br />deposits do exist, both of the arroyos discussed above qualify as <br />potential AVF's. <br />The applicant has determined that flood irrigation has never been <br />practiced in either of the two potential AVF's. Geomorphic and water <br />availability criteria greatly inhibit the potential for flood <br />irrigation. The two streams flow only in response to precipitation <br />events and snowmelt. An evaluation by a local Soil Conservation Service <br />official concluded that there is insufficient water availability to <br />develop a reliable flood irrigation practice. In addition, the deeply <br />incised arroyos make it difficult and uneconomical to construct the <br />required flood irrigation ditch systems. Therefore, it is concluded that <br />the potential for flood irrigated agricultural activities does not exist <br />in the valleys of the Gordon and Maitland Arroyos. <br />