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to Big Salt Wash which is potentially an AVF. None of these are <br />included within the proposed surface disturbance area. The proposed <br />mining operation would extend beneath the Stove and Buniger Canyon <br />drainages. However, both of these are characterized by excessively <br />steep slideslopes. Therefore, the potential for water quantity <br />decreases as a result of diversion into mine workings through <br />natural or subsidence-induced fractures is low since rainfall <br />incident to the surface would have a greater tendency to slow over <br />the surface too quickly to infiltrate into any mine workings. Based <br />on these facts and the fact that the mine workings would only affect <br />about 0.6 percent of the drainage area of the Big Salt Wash <br />drainage, the Colorado MLRD has determined that the mining operation <br />would not materially damage the hydrologic character of the Big Salt <br />Wash drainage system. <br />Natural hazard lands <br />The mining operation has been designed to mitigate the hazards posed <br />by the steep topography of the mine plan area. All reclaimed <br />surfaces will be backfilled and graded to achieve a structurally and <br />erosionally stable surface. An analysis of the proposed backfill <br />and grading configurations for the haulroad, portal bench and <br />central facilities area demonstrated that the redesigned reclaimed <br />configuration's static slope safety factors would exceed those of <br />the predisturbance natural slopes. <br />