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significantly affect ground water use, because there is no known beneficial use of ground <br />water in the area of the mine. Water is also impounded in the Long Pond (0.21 acre feet), <br />Treatment Pond 1 (0.17 acre feet), and Treatment Pond 2 (0.20 acre feet). Inflows and <br />outflows of water treatment ponds are now in balance. There is a potential for recurring <br />retention at Pond P-9 of a volume of 1.15 acre feet, and at the Refuse Area Stock Pond of <br />a volume of 0.90 acre feet. Total maximum retained surface volume is thus <br />approximately 2.6 acre feet. This amount is 0.021 percent of the total flow in Thompson <br />Creek (12,100 acre-feet/year). <br />III. Sealing of Drilled Holes and Underground Openings <br />A. The applicant proposed to manage development, exploration, drill or bore holes, wells, or <br />other exposed underground openings by sealing and plugging and other methods. The <br />Division approved these methods to prevent acid or toxic drainage, minimize disturbance to <br />the prevailing hydrologic balance, and ensure the safety of people, livestock, fish and <br />wildlife, and machinery in the permit and adjacent azeas (4.07.1). <br />B. The Division required that each hole, well, or other underground opening be capped, <br />sealed, backfilled, or otherwise properly managed (4.07.3). All shafts and portals have been <br />backfilled and sealed. Portals of Mine No. 1 and Mine No. 3 have been fitted with pipes to <br />permit mine drainage. The airshaft at the No. 1 Mine portal was backfilled, and a 36" culvert <br />was installed for access to a dewatering pipe. A locked cover was placed over the open <br />culvert end. This plan is illustrated on drawing D-2-5 of the pernut application package. All <br />drill holes and wells have been sealed with the exceptions of two surface wells, perhaps three <br />underground piezometers, and two surface piezometers. The status of the three underground <br />piezometers, P2-1, P2-2, and P2-3, located inside Mine No. 3, is ualaiown. The piezometers <br />aze thought to be open. The history of these piezometers has been lost. However, the Mine <br />No. 3 portal has been sealed, and the holes should present no threat to people, livestock, or <br />wildlife in the azea. Holes M-8 and M-9 have been pemutted as permanent to monitor the <br />permanent Developed Water Resources operations on the site. Monitoring wells D-lA and <br />D-2A have yet to be reclaimed. <br />]V. Coal Mine Waste Banks <br />A. The Division approved plans for use, construction, and maintenance of a coal mine waste <br />disposal azea [Rule 4.10.1(1)]. <br />B. The applicant submitted a plan for disposal, at the approved disposal azea within the <br />permit boundary, of mine waste materials generated by activities outside the permit <br />boundary. These materials included waste piles from abandoned pre-law mines. The <br />applicant demonstrated that disposal of such materials would not adversely affect water <br />quality or flow, vegetation, public health, or stability of the disposal azea based on <br />hydrologic, geotechnical, physical, and chemical analyses. Therefore, the Division approved <br />of disposal of these materials [Rule (4.10.1(2)]. <br />30 <br />