GENERAL37970

• Permit No: C1981047
• IBM Index Class Name: General Documents
• Doc Date: 12/9/1982
• Doc Name: PROPOSED DECISION AND FINDINGS OF COMPLIANCE
• Permit Index Doc Type: FINDINGS
• Media Type: D
• Archive: No

-47-
Cumulative Hydrologic Impact Rssessmeirt - Surface Water (Cont'd)
Bear Coal Company will utilize 1.15 acre-feet of domestic water from the Somerset
Domestic Waterworks as drinking water and for sanitary purposes at the No. 3 mine.
Bear is currently negotiating with Colorado Westmoreland for the acquisition of
a water right of 4.35 acre-feet. This water will be used for dust suppression on
roads, wash down of mine shop and equipment. Within the mine, the water will be
used to cool equipment and for dust suppression. The total estimated consumption
of water which is tributary to the North Fork River will be 5.5 acre-feet. This
consumption represents 0.001% of the mean annual flow in the North Fork. Additional
minor amounts of water will be consumed through evaporation from the sediment ponds
at the mines.
The Blue Ribbon Ffine consumes about 16,010 gallons of water per day (7.94 gpm).
This water is pumped from a well completed in the alluvium of Hubbard Creek. This
alluvial water is tributary to the flow of cvater in Hubbard Creek. The water
consumption consists of 1,050 gpd for sanitary and domestic use, 9,600 gpd for
water adsorbed on the coal from the mine, and 5,360 gpd for dust control and
equipment wash down. The total depletion of water tributary to the North Fork
of the Gunnison for a 250-day work year will be 12.28 acre-feet. This is 0.003%
of the mean annual flow in the North Fork.
The Orchard Valley Mine pumps approximately 30,000 gpd (23.02 acre-feet/year)
from Stevens Gulch for coal spraying, dust control, fire control, and potable
water supplies. This depletion has been augmented by an approved augmentation
plan through Division 4 Water Court (see Augmentation appendix in Volume 2, the
Orchard Valley permit application), which utilizes releases from East Beckwith
No. 1 Reservoir, located in the Anthracite drainage, to replace water removed
from Stevens Cu1ch. Rfost of the potable water supply used for shocrering, etc. is
treated at the site and released to the sediment ponds. The Ioss due to evaporation
of the water in the ponds is expected to have a minimal impact on cvater yields
of the North Fork of the Gunnison River. Another consumptive use of water by
the Orchard Valley bfine will be water adsorbed on coal which is transported out
of the basin. No data has been provided by Colorado Westmoreland, Inc. on this
consumptive use at the mine. However, Colorado Westmoreland, Inc. will be
supplying water consumption information annually to the Division as a stipulated
condition to their permit approval. The worst-case depletion to the flow in the
North Fork (23.02 acre-feet/year) for a 250-day work year should be 0.006 of
the mean annual flow in the river.
The Western Slope Carbon Nacrk's Nest Mine, located on the north slope of the basin
above Somerset, utilizes it's surface water rights and rights to mine inflow
water (Appendix XIII, Volume 3 of the Hawk's Nest permit application) to meet
the water requirements for mining operations, crash plant operations and domestic
use. Water rights held by [restern Slope Carbon are adequate to cover the con-
sumptive use in their mine operations (pages 2.09-29 to -33 of the Hawk's Nest
permit application). Western Slope Carbon estimates that the Hawk's Nest Mine
will consume 215 acre-feet of water per year, which amounts to 0.0520 of the
mean annual flow of the North Fork of the Gunnison.