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life-of-mine plan are greater than under this permit term. <br />This Probable Hydrologic Consequences section will focus upon <br />those impacts of the life of the mine, except where some <br />variance might exist in this permit term. These life-of-mine <br />impacts are projected to be worst case and should not be <br />realized during this permit term. <br />The Coal Ridge No. 1 Mine is designed as a hydraulic mining <br />process within the Wheeler Coal Seam. The hydraulic mining <br />process is a relatively new development within the coal <br />industry, which uses high pressure water to fracture and <br />rubbilize the coal. Entries within the coal seam are designed <br />to move upslope so that gravity allows the slurry of coal and <br />water to flow from the mining section to the portal. The <br />entire mine is designed as a closed water system enabling reuse <br />of almost all the water within the hydraulic system. <br />Hydraulic mining requires large quantities of water for <br />operations such as cutting of the coal and in the slurry line <br />transporting fine refuse to the waste site. The operation has <br />facilities designed to process and recirculate the majority of <br />water required for the operation. The water circulation is <br />designed as a closed-system, with the major water loss <br />occurring through evaporation, adhesion to the coal and refuse, <br />and by seepage underground during mining. The application <br />projects that water loss through these processes will require a <br />makeup of approximately 300 acre feet of water annually to the <br />system. The Coal Ridge No. 1 Mine has acquired water rights <br />more than sufficient to augment their annual projected water <br />loss. <br />The major water rights owned by the applicant are from the <br />Vulcan Ditch, which originates in Canyon Creek, a tributary to <br />the Colorado River on the north side of the river. The water <br />from this ditch is siphoned underneath the Colorado River and <br />has historically been used to flood irrigate the alluvial <br />valley floor north and east of the surface facilities. During <br />low-flow periods, the applicant has committed to giving <br />priority to irrigation of the historic alluvial valley floor <br />(see Stipulation No. 4). There does exist the possibility that <br />use of valid water rights by the applicant will detrimentally <br />impact the quantity of water available to the Colorado River. <br />The use of 300 acre-feet annually equals an average flow of <br />0.42 CFS. This reduction of the average 1983 flow of 4,969 CFS <br />in the Colorado River is an insignificant impact. <br />The surface facilities will be built on unconsolidated <br />sediments, including colluvium and terrace deposits between the <br />Colorado River and the Grand Hogback, and on exposed bedrock to <br />the east and west. Surface runoff from the facilities will be <br />contained by one sediment pond except for the outslopes of the <br />access roads. The surface facilities in the vicinity of the <br />portal will include the shop and office area with parking. <br />Coal preparation and storage facilities will also be present in <br />this area. <br />_P1_ <br />