GENERAL49221 - Laserfiche WebLink

Home Browse Search

i VII. Water Rights and Replacement - c an es 2.04.7(3), 2.05.6(3)(a)(ii There are four surface water rights and one ground water right located in and near the area to be mined. The one ground water right is the Temple No. 1 Well located west of the southern pit. Well logs do not detail completions, however, it appears that this welt is completed in the Wadge coal and/or the Wadge Overburden aquifers. The well is adjudicated for 0.02 cfs for domestic use. It is likely that mining up dip from this well will result in short-term water depletion and longer term water quality degradation. Two of the four surface water rights are existing livestock watering ponds located within the permit boundary. The Temple Pond No. 1 is located upstream of mining and will not be affected by mining. The Temple Pond No. 2 will be eliminated by mining, The applicant will leave Sedimentation Pond 006 as a permanent structure to replace this water right. The John C. Temple Reservoir and Olson Spring are the only surface water rights shown by the applicant to be within three (3) miles downstream, The reservoir is an irrigation right and mining will not affect this right. The Olson Spring is a domestic and stock water right for 0.330 cfs. The spring issues from the Dry Creek alluvium downstream of mining. There is a potential for mining to affect this water right in terms of water quality degradation. Peabody will monitor several sites upstream to determine if the alluvium water quality is changing during and after mining. Both the Olson Spring and the Temple No. 1 Well could be affected by the mining operation. Rule 2,05.b(3)(a)(ii) requires Peabody to provide a detailed description of the measures to be taken during and after mining to ensure the protection of the rights of users of water which may be adversely affected by mining operations. Peabody provided this mitigation and augmentation plan to ensure protection of the above noted water rights in Technical Revision number 4. The revision was approved by the Division on October 6, 1989. The applicant is in compliance with the above rules. VIII. Alluvial Valley Floors - Rules 2.06.8, 2.07.6(2)(k), and 4.24 The applicant submitted to the Division adequate information to make an Alluvial Valley Floor determination in accordance with Section 2.06.8 of the Regulations. Peabody Coal conducted an extensive Alluvial Palley Floor investigation for Hubberson Gulch, Watering Trough Gulch, Dry Creek, and Sage Creek. This study included the use of aerial photos, alluvial completion wells, stream gaging stations, and consultation with consulting firms and Federal agencies. - 19 -