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<br />Mine are directly applicable to the Bear Mine. The Bear No. 3 permit area and <br />hydrologically adjacent areas were included in the Mountain Coal Company AVF <br />survey area. <br />No AVFs are located within the Bear mine permit boundary. The only part of <br />the proposed permit or hydrologically adjacent area identified as alluvial <br />deposits are adjacent to the North Fork of the Gunnison River. Several small <br />bodies of alluvium lie along the course of the river between the mouth of <br />Sylvester Gulch, immediately upstream of the Bear No. 1 portal and facilities <br />area and the town of Somerset. The reclaimed No. 1 portal and the area of the <br />Bear No. 3 facilities both overlie alluvia( material. Neither of these areas meets <br />the ten-acre minimum size criterion; therefore, they are not an alluvial valley <br />floor. <br />The Mountain Coal Company study identified a much larger body of alluvium <br />downstream from Somerset, Colorado. Areas currently supporting agriculture <br />have been identified within Sections 13 and 14, T135, R91 W, associated with <br />the North Fork of the Gunnison River. Alluvium in Section 18, T13S, R90W <br />11.3 miles downstream of Bear No. 3) and Sections 13 and 14, T13S, R91 W <br />(2.5 to 4 miles downstream) meet the criteria of alluvial valley floors. The <br />alluvial valley floor probably continues downstream; however, no determination <br />has been made for the North Fork valley between Section 14, T13S, R91 W and <br />Section 29, T13S, R91 W, (2.5 to 6.5 miles downstream) because it will not be <br />impacted. <br />The Division is required to make specific written findings regarding the effect of <br />mining upon any AVFs within the permit and adjacent area pursuant to Rule <br />2.06.8. The AVF is not within the mine permit area, and will not be physically <br />disturbed by the mining activities. No impacts to the AVF are anticipated. <br />1 . The Division finds that the surface coal mining operations would not <br />interrupt, discontinue, or preclude farming on the alluvial valley floor <br />pursuant to Rule 2.06.8(5)(a)(i)(A)11). All surface disturbances associated <br />with the Bear Mine are located more than a mile upstream of the alluvial <br />valley floor and would not affect agricultural activities on the alluvial valley <br />floor. The alluvial valley floor would not be undermined by the proposed <br />operations. <br />2. Pursuant to Rule 2.06.815)(al(i)(A)(II), the Division finds that the proposed <br />surface coal mining operations would not materially damage the quantity <br />and quality of water in surface and ground water systems that supply this <br />water to alluvial valley floor. <br />3. The Division finds that surface coal mining and reclamation operations will <br />be conducted to preserve, throughout the mining reclamation process, the <br />essential hydrologic functions of the alluvial valley floor pursuant to Rule <br />2.06.8(51(alliiil. <br />30 <br />