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All sediment ponds in the permit area aze designed to retain less than ten acre-feet of <br />water. The largest designed pond is Pond 6, with a maximum capacity of 3.95 <br />acre-feet. This pond has a primary spillway with a gated valve which allows for <br />dewatering of the pond as soon as the discharge can meet effluent limits. Any water that <br />may be detained in the sediment ponds is not put to any beneficial use. The sewage <br />treatment lagoons are designed to treat 0.24 acre-feet within atwo-week period. No water <br />rights are required for the sediment ponds or the sewage lagoons. <br />Surface Water Oualitv <br />Possible hydrologic impacts on quality of surface water due to the Roadside and Cameo Mines <br />include impacts to: <br />1. Colorado River water due to mine water dischazge, and <br />2. Runoff from surface disturbance. <br />1. As discussed in Section C.II.A. of this document, the operator previously submitted a <br />report to the Colorado Department of Health (CDOH) addressing the feasibility of <br />treatment approaches to reduce salt contribution to the Colorado River. Based on review <br />of the report, CDOH determined that no action was required of the operator to reduce salt <br />contributions to the river and the operator has been exempted from specific numeric <br />limitations or constmction of new tteatment facilities. Quarterly total dissolved solids <br />monitoring is still required. <br />Mine dischazge from the Roadside Mines were estimated to increase soluble salts in the <br />river by 0.1 percent and dissolved iron by 0.2 percent (November 4, 1982 DMG Findings <br />Document). These predictions have proven to be accurate to date. <br />In its 1982 Findings, the Division also predicted that water quality effects would be <br />"minimal and will not significantly decrease water quality in the Colorado River." Surface <br />and groundwater monitoring to date (August 2003) have supported these projections. <br />Water monitoring conducted by the operator since 1982 has not identified any <br />unanticipated effects on river water quality. Mine water discharges from approved CDPS <br />points will continue to be analyzed annually for the list of parameters in Table 18-2 of the <br />permit. <br />2. Surface water runoff from disturbed azeas on the mine site passes through sediment ponds, <br />with the exception of the small azeas discussed in Section C.II. A. of this document. <br />Discharges from these ponds have historically met effluent limits in the mines' CDPS <br />permit except for dischazges related to severe storm events. Effects on water quality due to <br />disturbed-azea runoff have been and should continue to be insignificant. <br />Groundwater <br />Groundwater Quality <br />32 <br />