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• The fast three points are discussed in the ground water section, and the <br />remaining points are discussed in the surface water section. <br />2. Ground Water Effects <br />Springs in, or adjacent to, the Bear permit area are not expected to be <br />affected by mining at the Bear Mine. A spring survey conducted at the Bear <br />Mine located three springs in the permit area. No perennial springs exist on <br />the property. A spring survey conducted by MCC has located several <br />seasonal and perennial seeps in the adjacent area. <br />Mining activities at the Bear Mine could seduce spring flows or eliminate <br />springs by intercepting the ground water or colluvial flows that supply the <br />springs. Ground water may be intercepted by dewatering of the coal seam <br />and adjacent roof and floor rock. Ground water in strata several hundred <br />feet above the extracted coal seam may be intercepted by vertical fractures <br />created by subsidence. <br />The Bear Mine currently does not intercept significant amounts of ground <br />water. The abandoned Edwards Mine has not discharged mine water since <br />its opening in 1934. No discharge of mine inflow water has occurred since <br />Bear Coal Company reopened the Edwards Mine. The lack of any recorded <br />• discharge from the Bear Mine indicates that very little ground water has <br />been, or will be, intercepted by the mine workings. The lack of significant <br />mine inflows indicates that no significant disruption of any aquifer will <br />occur by Bear Coal Company's mining activities. <br />Bear Coal Company is not expected to disturb the aquifers that supply <br />springs adjacent to the permit area. The springs adjacent to the permit area <br />are primarily associated with sandstones in the Barren Member of the <br />Mesaverde Formation. These sandstones will not be affected by subsidence <br />fractures. Rubblization above the Bear No. 3 Mine workings is expected to <br />extend several hundred feet above the extracted B- and C-Seams. No <br />fractures are expected to extend above the sandstoge at the top of the lower <br />Coal Bearing Member. The limited vertical extent of the <br />subsidence-induced fracture system will ensure that springs in the Barren <br />Member are undisturbed. No disturbance of adjacent springs fed by alluvial <br />sources is expected because the mining will not be conducted under any <br />alluvial valley deposits. <br />The limited amounts of ground water present in the B-Seam that will be <br />disturbed by mirring at the Bear Mine will not result in any impact on any <br />springs associated with the B-Seam. Vertical subsidence-induced fractures <br />will not extend into aquifers that supply water to springs associated with the <br />• Barren Member; therefore, no impact on these springs is anticipated. <br />20 <br />