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The quality of the spoils water recharging the coal is poor with an average <br />TDS concentration of 3780 mg/1. The coal water quality is also poor with an <br />average TDS concentration of 6344 mg/1. Therefore, degradation of the coal <br />aquifer due to recharge from the spoil aquifer is is unlikely. <br />The quality of the water discharging from the spoils near the Pond 001 is <br />poor, however, no off-site impacts are expected. Spoil springs discharge to <br />the irrigation return flow drainages which flow to the San Miguel River. This <br />impact is more thoroughly discussed in the surface water section of this <br />document. <br />Based upon an analysis of the data collected at the site and a projection of <br />the probable hydrologic consequences of future mining, the cumulative <br />hydrologic impacts of mining to the prevailing hydrologic regime will be <br />insignificant. The Nucla Mine is the only mine within the ground water study <br />area. The ground water of interest within the study area is almost <br />exclusively controlled by artificial recharge. Mining will interrupt this <br />artificial system, however, due to the poor quality and limited quantities of <br />ground water there is no beneficial use of the overburden or coal aquifers. <br />Mining does not appear to affect the underburden aquifer. Therefore, the <br />impacts to the ground water system will be insignificant. <br />Based on an evaluation of probable hydrologic consequences of mining, the <br />Division finds that the proposed operation has been designed to prevent <br />material damage to the hydrologic balance outside the permit area. <br />X. Climatological Information and Air Resources - Rules 2.04.8, <br />Information pertaining to climatology and air resource protection is presented <br />in Volume 7, Tab 8. <br />The climate of the permit area is typical of continental intermountain <br />regions. The area experiences cold winters, hot summers, low rainfall, and <br />short growing seasons. The Nucla area receives approximately twelve inches of <br />precipitation yearly which primarily falls between October and May. <br />Predominate winds in the area are from the southwest. <br />Peabody submitted an Air Pollutant Emission Notice - Fugitive Dust application <br />to the Colorado Department of Health (CDOH) on February 21, 1986. The CDOH <br />specified in a letter dated May 8, 1986 that a Fugitive Dust permit was not <br />required since the source is "grandfathered"; that is, construction commenced <br />at the Nucla Mine prior to February 1, 1972. <br />The operation is in compliance with the requirements of this section. <br />XI. Topsoil - Rules 2.04.9, 2.05.3(5), 2.05.4(2)(d) and 4.06 <br />Information pertaining to baseline soil resources and calculated topsoil <br />balances are presented in Volume 7, Tab 9; whereas information pertaining to <br />storage and redistribution is found in Volume 1D, Tab 13. <br />-20- <br />