GENERAL35773

• Permit No: C1981039
• IBM Index Class Name: General Documents
• Doc Date: 9/19/1984
• Doc Name: Final Draft Proposed Decision & Findings of Compliance
• Permit Index Doc Type: FINDINGS
• Media Type: D
• Archive: No

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History of the Review Process
The Rockcastle Company, a Florida Corporation, has submitted a mining and
reclamation application for the Grassy Gap No. 1 Coal Mine.
The Grassy Gap No. 1 is an existing surface coal mine with an anticipated
maximum annual production of 360,000 tons. The total area to be disturbed is
350 acres. Land and coal ownership is 100% private.
The Grassy Gap application was submitted to the Division on February 17, 1981,
and deemed complete on February 27, 1981. At that time, the operation was
known as the Grassy Creek No. 1 Mine. The name has since been changed. The
initial adequacy letter was sent to the applicant on April 28, 1981.
Responses to the initial adequacy letter were submitted September 11, 1981,
and inserted into the application. A number of issues raised by the initial
adequacy letter were not resolved by the September 11, 1981, submittal.
Additional adequacy concerns were identified by the Division in a letter of
March 24, 1983. The applicant's responses to that letter were submitted on
January 4, 1984. final adequacy issues were detailed by the Division in
letters of February 6, 1984, and April 13, 1984. The applicant's responses of
March 26, 1984, and April 24, 1984, have resolved remaining deficiencies.
Description of the Environment
The Grassy Gap Mine permit area lies on the eastern foothills of the Williams
Fork Mountains, south of Hayden, Colorado, at an elevation of 7,000 to 7,800
feet.
Annual precipitation is in excess of 20 inches, with over 50% falling as snow
from November through April.
The mine is located on the headwaters of Grassy Creek, a tributary to the
Yampa River. Grassy Creek has a dendritic drainage pattern that is typical of
steep mountainous terrain. The headwaters originate at a maximum elevation of
8,322 feet above sea level. The confluence of Grassy Creek with the
Yampa River near Hayden, is approximately 6,560 feet above sea level. The
small drainages feeding the headwaters of Grassy Creek are ephemeral in nature
and flow only in response to snowmelt or direct precipitation. Grassy Creek,
through the mine area, flows perennially only during wet years. The numerous
beaver dams and stockponds located on the stream increase the length of the
flow period during dry months by seepage through the embankments.
A 20 acre body of alluvium exits along Grassy Creek approximately 1.5 miles
downstream of the permit area. This alluvial body has an apparent potential
for flood irrigation and as such constitutes an alluvial valley floor (AVF).
At present the AVF is undeveloped rangeland.