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on the site. Sediment pond water may be discharged to the <br /> North Fork or stored when water rights are in priority for <br /> reuse within the mine area. Drainage from undisturbed land <br /> is diverted around the site. Five sedimentation ponds have <br /> been built for the surface facilities area. These are: <br /> MB-1 Large upper pond <br /> MB-2R Large lower pond <br /> MB-3 Small lower pond <br /> MB-4 Train loadout pond <br /> MB-5 Bear pond <br /> Two freshwater ponds, FW-1 and FW-2, are proposed for water <br /> storage. Pond FW-1 is currently in operation. Pond FW-2 <br /> will be constructed in the event that additional water <br /> storage is needed and is not proposed for this five-year <br /> permit term. The potential location of FW-2 has not been <br /> discussed in MCC's permit or have designs been submitted. <br /> A system of lined ditches convey water from the disturbed <br /> areas to the ponds. All sedimentation ponds discharge into <br /> the North Fork of the Gunnison River. The mine operation <br /> has obtained the appropriate NPDES permits. Effluent <br /> quality for the sedimentation ponds has been monitored and <br /> will continue to be monitored to determine permit <br /> compliance. The applicant will also continue monitoring of <br /> surface water to determine the impact of mining on the <br /> hydrologic regime. <br /> Much of the surface water flow in the lease block is due to <br /> snowmelt with dry season flows mostly supplied by sources <br /> at higher elevations on West Elk outside the lease block. <br /> Mining .activities will not have a significant effect on <br /> snowmelt runoff or sources outside the lease block. Life <br /> of mine operations in F, B, and E seams are not expected to <br /> have an impact on streams as subsidence and propagation of <br /> fractures are to be minimized under the proposed mine plan <br /> sections contained within the permit application. <br /> Minnesota and Beaver Reservoirs are both located below the <br /> outcrop of the F seam coal. These reservoirs are used to <br /> store water for irrigation and will not be directly <br /> affected by mining the F seam. The portions of lower coal <br /> seams under the reservoirs, including the E and B seams, <br /> are legally severed from the lease. <br /> Several springs that feed into Minnesota Creek could be <br /> affected by mining to the extent that the flow is decreased <br /> or that they completely dry out. Generally, it is not <br /> expected that the flow in Minnesota Creek will be decreased <br /> significantly as a result of mining the F seam. During the <br /> next five-year permit term, no mining will take place south <br /> of the ]Minnesota Creek Basin drainage divide with the <br /> exception of a small area adjacent to the divide where the <br /> B seam main entries will be located. It is expected that <br /> these main entries will not impact the hydrologic balance <br /> of the Minnesota Creek Basin. A detailed discussion of <br /> measures taken to assess and ensure the protection of the <br /> Minneso':.a Creek water supply is contained in Exhibit 58 of <br /> the permit application entitled, "Protection of Minnesota <br /> Creek Water Supply. " <br /> Figure 3 and Table 4 show water flows and the amount that <br /> moves through the mine system. Potential hydrologic <br /> impacts may occur to the North Fork of the Gunnison River <br /> through West Elk' s water sanitary waste water, mine water, <br /> and runoff from disturbed areas. <br /> 34 <br />