GENERAL45871

• Permit No: C1981011
• IBM Index Class Name: General Documents
• Doc Date: 3/1/1983
• Doc Name: PROPOSED DECISION AND FINDINGS OF COMPLIANCE
• Permit Index Doc Type: FINDINGS
• Media Type: D
• Archive: No

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The postmining ayricultural utility and level of productivity of the
Trout creek A.V.F. will equal or exceed the premining conditions.
Because of the improved drainage of the raised, flat surface, the area
will be more conducive to raising crops. Suitable structures for flood
irrigation could easily be constructed. The essential hydrologic
functions, the ayricultural utility and the level of productivity of the
Trout Creek N.V.F. will be protected.
As was discussed in the Hydrologic Balance - Ground Water Section of this
docwnent, worst case potential effects to the hydrologic balance of
Middle Creek were insignificant to the flow of the stream. Although the
Pliddle Creek A.V.F. is down dip of the mine, the amount of water
contributed to the A.V.F. from the permit area is less than 1% of the
total flow of the stream. Furthermore, the A.V.F is 4000 feet away from
the area to be mined. Therefore, the Division concludes that the Middle
Creek A.V.F. will not be effected.
The Division has determined that the surface coal mining operation at the
Apex No. 2 Mine has be designed to meet the performance standards of Rule
4.24.
VIII. Water Ri hts and Re lacement - Rules 2.04.7(3)
2.05.6 3 a ii 2.07.6 2 c and 4.05.15
The Office of the Colorado State Engineer, Division of Water Resources
concurs with the Division that the proposed operation has been designed
to prevent injury to water users. If any injury were to occur, the mine
has adjudicated water rights for both surface and ground water as
described on page 66 of the application which could be used for
augmentation purposes.
IX. Probable H drolo is Consequences and Cumulative Impacts
Assessment - Rules 2.05.6 3 and 2.07.6(2)(c)
The applicant has predicted on pages 65.01, 65.02 and 69 that the mining
operation will not effect the quantity or quality of water in Middle
Creek nor will there be appreciable effects to the quantity or quality of
water in Trout Creek.
The Uivision has evaluated the detailed hydrology information to
determine the probable effects of the mining operation on the prevailing
hydrologic balance. The potential effects of the mining operation on the
prevailing hydrologic balance are minimal.
There is a slight possibility that flow in Trout Creek would be decreased
and flow increased in Middle Creek if an unrecorded fault with high
transmissivities is encountered. This is highly unlikely because of the
horst and graben geology and the pontransmissive character of each of the
faults observed thus far as was discussed previously in this document in
Section V Hydrologic Balance - Ground Water. Also discussed previously
in Section V Hydrologic Balance-Surface Water were the possible
hydrologic impacts to springs tributary to htiddle Creek. The potential
adverse effects to the prevailing hydrologic balance of Trout Creek were
discussed in Section V. The effects have been minimized by the operation
as follows:
t