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<br />-~- <br />disturbed area is contained by the sediment control system. Discharge from <br />the sediment pond would flow througf~ a vegetated Swale into Ohio Creek which <br />is two miles away. It is unliY.ely that any water discharge from the sedi- <br />ment pond would reach Ohio Creek due to the small amount of flow and be- <br />cause water should infiltrate into the moderately permeable soils within <br />a short distance. If the discharge water did reach Ohio Creek, the affects <br />would be negligible because the discharge will have met the required effluent <br />standards. Furthermore, the quantity of discharged water (0.4 cfs) is small <br />in comparison to the average flow of Ohio Creek (89 cfs). <br />Discharge of sediment deficient waters from the sediment pond may slightly <br />increase erosion immediately below the sediment pond. However, the water <br />released would quickly infiltrate the soils and, in addition, the dense <br />vegetation cover would greatly reduce any erosional effects. <br />Therefore, pursuant to Rule 2.07.6(2)(c) and based on all available informa- <br />tion, the Division finds that the proposed operation has been designed to <br />prevent material damage to the hydrologic balance outside the permit area. <br />IX. Rules 2.06.8 and 4.24 - Alluvial Valley Floors <br />In accordance with the alluvial valley floor guideI.ines issued by the Office <br />of Surface Mining, the applicant has identified the Ohio Creek Valley as <br />the only alluvial fill that is greater than 50 feet wide and 10 acres in <br />extent in the vicinity of the mine. The Ohio Creek Valley is approximately <br />2 miles from the mine. The major crop in the valley is irrigated hay. Ir- <br />rigation ditches in the area have a decreed quantity of 99.7 cfs and water <br />from these ditches is used to flood irrigate the area. The applicant has <br />conceded that this is an alluvial valley floor and this was confirmed by <br />the Division in the field. <br />Given the previous discussions in this Findings document about the hyrdology <br />in the area and given the distance of the mine from the AVF, the Division <br />makes the following findings pursuant to Rule 2.07.6(2)(k): <br />1. The proposed surface coal mining operations will not interrupt <br />discontinue, or preclude farming on an alluvial valley floor. <br />This is because the mine is at least 2 miles from the nearest <br />farming operation and there is no significant hydrologic relation- <br />ship between the mine and the valley. <br />2. The Division finds that the proposed surface coat mining operations <br />will not materially damage the quantity and quality of water in the <br />surface and underground systems that supply the alluvial valley floor <br />or portions of tl~e alluvial valley Floor. As discussed in a pre- <br />vious section, the groundwater and surface water affects from <br />OC k2 will be negligible due to the small quantity of water <br />coming from the area. <br />3. The Division finds that the surface coal mining and reclamation <br />operations will be conducted to preserve throughout the mining <br />and reclamation process the essential hydrologic functions of the <br />alluvial valley floor. This is due to the fact that the management <br />