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„~ <br />repairs by placing an impermiablefabric liner down several hundred feet of the ditch to <br />repair the crack and prevent further problems if additional cracks appeared. <br />No renewable resource lands lie within the permit area. Information provided in the <br />application indicates that the Pine Gulch drainage, which at one time was suggested to <br />be a renewable resource area, does not in fact qualify as one. There is no aquifer or <br />recharge area for an aquifer in the Pine Gulch area. Core hole data supplied with the <br />original application demonstrate that the bedrock section above the level of the coal is <br />dry. The survey of wells and springs in the area of the mine has established <br />stratigraphically lower aquifers whose recharge areas do not include Pine Gulch. The <br />Pine Gulch area is also not one utilized for agricultural or silviculturalproduction of food <br />and fiber nor does it serve as a pasture land. The confluence of Pine Gulch and Hay <br />Gulch approximately three miles downstream from the mine was determined to be an <br />alluvial valley floor on which agricultural activities are conducted. These activities <br />however, do not rely on the surface or ground water resources originating in the Pine <br />Gulch area. Provisions of the proposed mining plan, furthermore, will minimize any <br />potential for mining related subsidence impacts on the Pine Gulch drainage. Elongated <br />pillars will not be extracted during final retreat. As a result, the Pine Gulch drainage <br />area will be assured of continued long term stability. <br />XIV. Operations on Alluvial Valley Floors <br />A. The Division has determined that an alluvial valley floor exists within the affected <br />or adjacent area. Therefore, the following findings are in order for the alluvial <br />valley floor known as Hay Gulch located 7 miles SW of Hesperus, Colorado. <br />There are currently three coal mining operationslocated within Hay Gulch: the King <br />Coal Mine (permitted, active), the Blue Flame Coal Mine (revoked and reclaimed), <br />and the La Plata No. 1 Mine (revoked and reclaimed). All three mines are <br />considered in the alluvial valley floor discussion. <br />Field observations by Division staff and information contained in permit applicatiots <br />indicate that small areas of unconsolidated stream-laid materials are present in <br />adjacent drainages. However, these areas are not extensive enough to meet the size <br />criteria of AVFs. <br />It has been determined that Hay Gulch meets the criteria for an AVF based upon <br />three findings: (1) The valley contains unconsolidated stream-laid deposits; (2) 7'he <br />valley contains sufficient water to support agricultural activities as evidenced by (a) <br />the historical use of flood irrigation in the area, and (b) the demonstrated capability <br />of the area to be flood irrigated, and (3) The valley has demonstrated subirrigation. <br />It should be noted that Hay Gulch does not presently contain a stream. It is thought <br />that this is due to agricultural practices in the gulch which divert naturallyoccurring <br />22 <br />