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Fork of the Gunnison River. Alluvium in Section 18, T13S, R90W (1.3 miles <br />downstream of Bear No. 3) and Sections 13 and 14, T13S, R91W (2.5 to 4 miles <br />downstream) meet the criteria of alluvial valley Floors. The alluvial valley floor <br />probably continues downstream; however, no determination has been made for the <br />North Fork valley between Section 14, T13S, R91W and Section 29, T13S, R91W, <br />(2.5 to 6.5 miles downstream) because it will not be impacted. <br />The Division is required to make specific written findings regarding the effect of <br />mining upon any AVFs within the permit and adjacent area pursuant to Rule 2.06.8. <br />The AVF is not within the mine permit area, and will not be physically disturbed by <br />the mining activities. No impacts to the AVF are anticipated. <br />1. The Division finds that the surface coal mining operations would not interrupt, <br />discontinue, or preclude farming on the alluvial valley floor pursuant to Rule <br />2.06.8(5)(a)(I)(A)(I). All surface disturbances associated with the Beaz Mine are <br />located more than a mile upstream of the alluvial valley floor and would not <br />affect agricultural activities on the alluvial valley floor. The alluvial valley floor <br />would not be undermined by the proposed operations. <br />2. Pursuant to Rule 2.06.8(5)(a)(I)(A)(II), the Division finds that the proposed <br />surface coal mining operations would not materially damage the quantity and <br />quality of water in surface and groundwater systems that supply this water to <br />alluvial valley floor. <br />3. The Division finds that surface coal mining and reclamation operations will be <br />conducted to preserve, throughout the mining reclamation process, the essential <br />hydrologic functions of the alluvial valley floor pursuant to <br />Rule 2.06.8(5)(a)(iii). <br />No change in the quantity of water available to alluvial deposits adjacent to the North <br />Fork of the Gunnison River is expected to result from mining activities by Bear Coal <br />Company. No diminution in surface water runoff from the permit area is expected <br />to occur; therefore, no decrease in [he flow of the North Fork of the Gunnison is <br />expected. The undisturbed land overlying the Bear mine workings should not be <br />significantly impacted by mining; therefore, no impacts to the surface water system <br />are anticipated. Surface runoff from the eight-acre disturbed area of the Bear No. <br />3 Mine was expected to increase during active mining due to the low infiltration <br />capacity of the roads and parking areas at the mine. The increase in surface runoff <br />from this small area is insignificant when compared to the much larger flow in the <br />North Fork of the Gunnison River. <br />No significant changes to water quality are expected to occur as a result of mining <br />at the Bear Mine. The water quality of surface runoff from the undisturbed permit <br />area will not be affected by mining. No subsidence problems are anticipated which <br />could increase landslide frequency in the permit area, and increase the amounts of <br />32 <br />