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• 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, R91W, associated with <br />the North Fork of the Gunnison River. Alluvium in Section 18, T13S, R90W <br />(1.3 miles downstream of Bear No. 3) and Sections 13 and 14, T13S, R91W <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, R91W and <br />Section 29, T13S, R91W, (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 <br />Rule 2.06.8. The AVF is not within the mine permit area, and will not be <br />physically disturbed by the mining activities. No impacts to the AVF are <br />anticipated. <br />1. The Division fords that the surface coal mining operations would not <br />intenvpt, discontinue, or preclude fanning on the alluvial valley floor <br />• pursuant to Rule 2.06.8(5)(a)(i)(A)(I). 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 2.06.8(5)(a)(i)(A)(I)), the Division fords that the proposed <br />surface coal mining operations would not materially damage the quantity and <br />quality of water in surface and ground water systems that supply this water <br />to alluvial valley floor. <br />3. The Division fords that surface coal mining and reclamation operations will <br />be conducted to preserve, throughout the mining rechmration process, the <br />essential hydrologic functions of the alluvial valley floor pursuant to <br />Rule 2.06.8(5)(a)(iii). <br />No change in the quantity of water available to alluvial deposits adjacent to the <br />North Fork of the Gunnison River is expected to result from mining activities by <br />Bear Coal Company. No diminution in surface water runoff from the permit <br />area is expected to occur; therefore, no decrease in the flow of the North Fork <br />of the Gunnison is expected. The undisturbed land overlying the Bear mine <br />workings should not be significantly impacted by mining; therefore, no impacts <br />• to the surface water system are anticipated. Surface runoff from the eight-acre <br />disturbed area of the Bear No. 3 Mine is expected to increase during active <br />mining due to the low infiltration capacity of the roads and parking areas at the <br />33 <br />