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When ground and surface monitoring resume, the applicant will conduct an annual <br />spoil spring survey that will presumably support these projections. Any springs with <br />dischazge of at least 10 GPM will be identified and sampled for a full suite of <br />parameters, with a report to be submitted to the Division by June 15 of each year. <br />The applicant has also committed to replacement of any adjudicated source of water <br />that may be impacted by the proposed mining operation, as would be required by <br />Colorado water law. <br />b. Surface Water <br />The probable hydrologic consequences resulting from the mining activities to <br />surface water at the Hamilton Mine permit area will result from alterations to runoff <br />characteristics, surface configuration, and water quality. Total dissolved solids <br />(TDS) for Naturita Creek, vary from 900 to 1,750 mg/I, and aze much higher than <br />for the San Miguel River, which has a weighted average TDS of 316 mg/1. <br />According to data provided by Honeywood Coal Company, sulfates vary from 500 <br />to 963 mg/1 in Naturita Creek water, whereas San Miguel River water generally has <br />less than 100 mg/1. Levels of calcium, magnesium and potassium aze also higher in <br />Naturita Creek than in the San Miguel River. Naturita Creek is suitable for <br />livestock use. To date, mining activities have not contributed to changes in water <br />quality parameters of either of these streams since there have been no recorded <br />flows from the minesite. Total suspended solids (TSS) is still expected to decrease <br />as a result of interception of water by sediment ponds. Total salt loading is still <br />expected to increase somewhat due to exposure of materials not previously in <br />contact with surface water, breakup of overburden by mining activities and <br />concentration due to evaporation of water during retention in sediment ponds. <br />Samples taken during runoff resulting from 1988 snowmelt and storm events along <br />Long, Center, Section 33 and Hamilton (referred to as Broad Creek in the permit <br />application) Creeks show variability in TDS from 5,080 mgA on upper Hamilton <br />Creek following a storm, to 110 mg/1 on Upper Center Creek following snowmelt. <br />Sulfates vaned from 3,680 mg/1 on Upper Hamilton Creek during the same storm <br />event to 110 mg/1 on Upper Center Creek during the same snowmelt runoff <br />sampling. No runoff from the disturbed area is expected during dry periods or <br />during minor precipitation and snowmelt events, due to high surface infiltration <br />rates, evaporation and interception of minor runoff by sediment ponds. <br />There is very little contribution of flow to Naturita Creek from the permit area <br />drainage. While flow in Naturita Creek does increase from above the permit area to <br />its confluence with the San Miguel, the increase appeazs to be due primarily to <br />irrigation return flow and minor subsurface flow. Except during significant <br />snowmelt and storm events, there appeazs to be insufficient runoff to allow flow in <br />the draws across the proposed permit azea. In those raze instances where runoff does <br />develop, little water actually reaches Naturita Creek. For example, an October <br />2-3, 1988 storm event contributed to flow in all draws across the permit area, yet <br />15 <br />