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Additional monitoring of agricultural productivity will not be required at <br />this time. Should the hydrologic or subsidence monitoring indicate that the <br />effects of mining are greater than predicted, additional monitoring may be <br />required by the Division to ensure compliance with the alluvial valley floor <br />performance standards. <br />The proposed operation is in compliance with the requirements of this section. <br />VIII. Water Rights and Replacement - Rules 2.04.7(3). 2.05.6(3)( <br />Water Rights and Replacement is discussed on Pages 64 through 64b of the <br />application. <br />The appiicant proposes to replace the water supply of any well owner whose <br />water supply has been damaged as a result of operations at the Red Canyon <br />Mines with water from the Colby municipal water system. <br />Specifically, if the ground water monitoring system documents damage to a <br />well, the operator would first attempt to reestablish the well. If <br />reestablishment fails, the water form the damaged well would be replaced or <br />supplemented with Colby domestic water. Grand Mesa Coal Company wouid <br />purchase and maintain ownership of a water tap, and pay for any necessary <br />water line installation. Information on Page 64 indicates the Colby system <br />has approximately 60 taps in service and is capable of handling 100 more taps <br />with the present water source (a series of springs on the side of Grand Mesa). <br />It should be noted that all wells in and adjacent to the permit area are <br />completed in the surficial aquifer, not the bedrock aquifers. Modeling <br />results presented in the application predict no draw down effects to occur in <br />the surficial aquifer. Worst case water quality projections suggest that <br />total dissolved solids in the vicinity of the subcrop could increase from <br />300 mg/1 to 900 mg/1 following cessation of mining. An impact of this <br />magnitude would effect domestic use, but not irrigation, industrial or <br />livestock use. Thus, the applicant's ground water replacement plan addresses <br />replacement of domestic water supplies only, and is sufficient to satisfy the <br />requirements of this section. <br />The mining plan has been designed to minimize subsidence through limited (55X) <br />extraction and projections in the application indicate that anticipated <br />impacts would be insignificant and capable of remedy. However, should surface <br />water rights be harmed (through subsidence effects on irrigation water <br />distribution) the operator has committed to necessary surface grading and <br />ditch repair, including ditch lining, piping, or other means necessary to <br />restore the irrigation system. Water augmentation would be provided by <br />transfer of Grand Mesa water rights on Granby Ditch, should it not be possible <br />to reestablish the surface system within one year . <br />The proposed operation is in compliance with the requirements of this section. <br />-23- <br />