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,,_ Determination of the probable hydrologic consequences of mining for surface water are giver, on pages 325 and 326 of the permit application. Since all of Che drainages in the permit and adjacent area are ephemeral with low, infrequent flows, most surface water infiltrates or evaporates before it reaches a perennial stream. No adjudicated downstream water rights were found in the general area. One abandoned diversion was found two miles dowmstream of the town of. Pryor. During mining, the flow from Pryor Canyon ma }' be reduced due to increased evaporation and infiltration from the proposed sediment ponds. ACter mining, if channels are restored to their original capacity, the outflow from the basin will. be similar to historic f.Lows, In order to substantiate the predictions of no material damage to the surface water system, monitoring of. the quantity and quality of surface water entering and exiting the permit area must be provided. Therefore the following stipulation is necessary: Stipulation T7o. 1 FLOtJ ?SEASUREPIENTS AND 1•]ATER SrU1FLE5 i1UST BE TAKEN T12ICE A YEr\R FROif THE THREE SITES IDENTIFIED ON PL1P 5 OF THIS DOCUPIEIJT. THE TI`1E5 OF FLOW PIEASUR&`IENT DfiJS'f BE ONCE DURING SPRING S?JOL^fEL1' Aidp ONCE DURING A STORM CV ENT. THE SAi`fE PAI2r119ETERS FOIL ANALYSIS S!IOULD BE USF,D AS 4.'ERE USED POR 'r11E SOAP P.EPORT. Adjudicated wells in the general area ns shoe.•n on figure 2.04.5-5 of the permit application were investigated For relevant ground water information. flost of the wells have been abandoned. however, information from the local residents presented on pages 122-129 show that the ground water in the area is high in alkalinity and total d~isso]ved solids making it unfit for drinking or irrigation. Since baseline-pr emining hydrologic information was not collected by the previous mining operations in the area, it is most difficult to assess the baseline ground water qualit}' and quantity. Indications show that the extensive "pre-law" mining without reclamation has impacted the hydrulogic balance. i•lining and reclamation activities proposed by Viking Coal Company will not significantly impact the existing hydrologic balance. The mining and reclamation activities have been designed to minimize hydrologic impacts. Therefore [he Division finds that the mining operation will not materially damage the existing hydrologic ha lance outside the permit area. The average estimated rainfall for the permit area is 15 inches as presented in the c]imatulnP,v section 2,04.b of the application. '1o s[ of the rain (ills during the months of: April throu};h .hi1y. 'Che ]nr;~e tlwnderstnrm activit}~ usually occurs in July. 1'he winds ago primarily out n( the east Burin; the clay, whip at night ~.~es[erle winds prevail.