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The alluvial ground water system in East Salt Creek could also be <br />impacted as a result of the surface disturbance in McClane Canyon. <br />However, as discussed in detail under the AVF section of this findings <br />document, the potential for an effect on the alluvial system as a result <br />of the alteration of the surface floor will be insignificant. If the <br />recharge of the alluvial aquifer were solely dependent on surface flow <br />the significance of the disturbed area with respect to flow in the <br />alluvium would be negligible. <br />All waters which could be potentially impacted by the operation will be <br />monitored for any adverse impacts. Surface water monitoring sites are <br />located upstream and downstream of the disturbance so that any <br />detrimental impacts will be determined. Ground water alluvial wells have <br />been established upgradient and downgradient of McClane Canyon along East <br />Salt Creek to monitor the effects of mining. Changes in flow and water <br />quality parameters will be measured at all of these monitoring sites. <br />Monitoring data collected to date reveals no adverse impacts to surface <br />or ground water quality and quantity resulting from the McClane Canyon <br />mining operation. A majority of the monitoring has been suspended, <br />however, due to temporary cessation of operations and no additional <br />disturbances at the mine since January of 1984. Full scale monitoring <br />will resume once mining operations re-commence or any new surface <br />disturbances are created. <br />Salt Creek Mining Company has also received a permit to mine in Munger <br />Canyon, (see Mined Land Reclamation File #C-020-81) one mile south of <br />McClane Canyon. The mine is an underground mine with the face up and <br />facilities in a canyon at the headwaters of a tributary to Munger <br />Canyon. The face up is located approximately two miles from the <br />intersection of Munger Canyon and the East Salt Creek drainage. <br />The Munger Canyon Mine will also affect the quantity and quality of <br />surface water in East Salt Creek. This effect would occur as a result of <br />the surface disturbance at the mine and the impact this disturbance will <br />have on runoff and surface flow in Munger Canyon. <br />The total surface disturbance created by the Munger Canyon mining <br />operation which will be contained within a sedimentation system is <br />approximately 35 acres. This accounts for less than seven-tenths of a <br />percent of the area contained within the Munger Canyon drainage (5,085 <br />acres), and slightly over five one-hundredths of a percent of the total <br />drainage area of East Salt Creek above the confluence with Munger Canyon <br />(67,228 acres). Taken together, the total disturbance at both the Munger <br />Canyon and McClane Canyon Mines (42.7 acres) will only affect sixty three <br />one-hundredths of a percent of the drainage area of East Salt Creek. <br />As indicated, the combined, or cumulative, impact on flow in East Salt <br />Creek as a result of the operations at the McClane Canyon and Munger <br />Canyon mining operations will be relatively insignificant. All flow <br />_18_ <br />