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Y AVF's within the permit and adjacent area. The findings for the North Fork AVF are presented below. Mining activity (construction of the loadout facility) has already disturbed approximately 13 acres of land on the colluvial slope. No further surface disturbance is proposed by the applicant. 1. Pursuant to Rule 2.06.8 (5)(a)(i)(A)(I), the Division finds that the surface coal mining operations would not interrupt, discontinue, or preclude farming on the alluvial valley floor. Loadout operations on the colluvial slope will not physically impact farming operations on the alluvial flood plain below. Groundwater is not present in the colluvium in the permit area and surface water from above will be diverted around the disturbed area. No future impact which might interrupt, discontinue, or preclude farming on the flood plain is proposed. Thus operations at Terror Creek would not interrupt, discontinue, or preclude farming on previously-undisturbed portions of the alluvial valley floor. 2. Pursuant to Rule 2.06.8 (6)(a)(i)(A)(II), the Division finds that the surface coal mining operations would not materially damage the quality and quantity of water in surface and underground water systems that supply those alluvial valley floors or portions of alluvial valley floors. Given the small size (13.6 acres) and nature of the disturbance, no significant hydrological impacts are anticipated. There is minimal potential for the quality of water supplied to the alluvial valley floor via the Deer Trail Ditch or the Fire Mountain Canal to be affected. The canals are located upslope from the disturbed area. Irrigation runoff and storm runoff will be diverted around the disturbance and disturbed flows will be routed through a sediment pond prior to discharge. The applicant has obtained water rights to Deer Trail Ditch water totalling 300 acre-feet per year and anticipates a maximum operational need of approximately 44 acre-feet per year. Forty-four acre-feet is approximately .01~ of the mean annual flow of the North Fork. The applicant's discussion of probable hydrologic consequences has identified no anticipated changes in surface water quality. All runoff from disturbed surface areas will drain through an approved sediment control system. No material damage to the quality of surface waters supplied to the alluvial valley floor is anticipated, due to sediment control at the site and the Fact that the ditch which supplies the AVF is located upslope of the disturbance. There is a slight potential for water quality degradation to occur in the alluvial aquifer immediately down gradient of the loadout pad as a result of percolation of degraded water through the colluvium. This potential is considered insignificant for Terror Creek Loadout Page 21