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-31- <br />The fault will be encountered by the McClane Canyon at a future time and will <br />probably produce water again. Additionally, it is anticipated that mine <br />inflows will increase as the workings extend further downdip into the <br />predicted saturated portion of the Cameo seam. The operator of the McClane <br />Canyon Mine has committed to monitoring mine inflows in order to monitor the <br />effect of the operation on ground water resources and to assist in the <br />prediction of hydrologic impacts of future permit terms. <br />Mining operations taking place at the Munger Canyon f4ine during the initial <br />permit term will not encounter the projected saturated zone of the Cameo <br />seam. This contention is supported by information obtained by the applicant <br />during drilling operations conducted in and around the proposed permit area. <br />Figure 4.4-1 of Volume III of the permit application depicts the location of <br />the saturated zone. The proposed mine plan indicates that this zone will only <br />be encountered by the mine workings around the eleventh year of operation. <br />Ground water inflows into this mine will be monitored throughout the term of <br />operation so the zone can be identified further and impacts can be projected. <br />During the initial permit term, however, no mine inflows are anticipated. <br />The effect of underground mine workings in Stove and Buniger Canyons on the <br />quality and quantity of surface water in the Big Salt Wash is expected to be <br />negligible. No surface disturbances are anticipated in these canyons so there <br />is no potential for impacting water quality (see Section VII, Alluvial Valley <br />Floors, of this document). Also, no springs have been identified in the area <br />of Stove and Buniger Canyons. <br />There is a potential for surface water infiltration into the mine workings via <br />natural and mine-induced fractures. This potential is very low due to the low <br />precipitation experienced by the region and because of the steep slopes over <br />the mine workings. <br />There will be no cumulative impact on ground water in the Big Salt Wash <br />drainage as a result of the combined impact of the Munger Canyon Mine and <br />Dorchester Fruita operations. These mines are essentially hydrologically <br />isolated from each other by the intervening recharge zone in Big Salt Wash. <br />The mines will, therefore, not be impacting the same hydrologic system with <br />regard to ground water. <br />The assessment of the probable cumulative impacts of all anticipated coal <br />mining in the general area on the hydrologic balance, as described in <br />2.05.6(3), has been made by the Division, and the operation proposed under the <br />application has been designed to prevent damage to the hydrologic balance <br />outside the proposed permit area. <br />The operation is in compliance with the requirements of this section. <br />