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<br /> <br />The alluvial ground water recharges the rock strata in the <br />area. The spoils in the southwest section of the mine support <br />continuously flowing ground water seeps. These areas of the <br />mine are below the level of Stollsteimer Creek and the water <br />table of the Stollsteimer Creek alluvium. Piteau and <br />Associates, using pumping test values for the affected stratum <br />and coals, calculated a theoretical inflow of 10 gpm for the <br />same pit. The permittee did not mine through this alluvial <br />aquifer, although some surface facilities were located on the <br />alluvium. <br />2. Surface Water Monitoring <br />Information pertaining to the surface water quality and <br />quantity can be found in Sections 2.04 and 2.05 of the permit. <br />Additional surface water hydrology information is provided in <br />the application by Exhibit 7 and Maps 4 and 8. Information <br />pertaining to sediment control structures can be found in <br />Exhibit 7 of the permit revision application. <br />The approved permit area is drained by one perennial drainage, <br />Stollsteimer Creek. Flows in Stollsteimer Creek vary <br />seasonally; highest flows occur during periods of snowmelt and <br />intense thunderstorms. Stollsteimer Creek receives flow from <br />numerous ephemeral drainages. This creek is dammed in numerous <br />locations above the permit area, the closest dam being located <br />at Capote Lake, approximately five miles upstream. <br />The landowner has constructed an irrigation ditch which runs <br />adjacent to the creek. This ditch is periodically dammed to <br />flood irrigate the pasture located between the East Pit and the <br />Barren Ridge permit area. Mining operations did not preclude <br />the use of this irrigation ditch. <br />All runoffs from disturbed areas are currently routed through <br />four sediment control ponds. Sediment pond 002 is located on <br />the western edge of the East Pit Area. Sediment pond 003 is <br />located on the northeastern edge of the permit boundary. Two <br />sediment ponds, 004 and 005, serve as sediment control <br />structures in the Barren Ridge and Federal Lease Areas. The <br />sediment trap is located below pond 2. <br />All of the above-mentioned sediment structures were designed <br />and constructed under the supervision of a registered <br />professional engineer. The ponds will contain the runoff from <br />a 10-year 24-hour precipitation event without discharging. The <br />emergency spillways will pass a 25-year 24-hour event and still <br />maintain the required freeboard. <br />Maintenance of the ponds includes periodic inspections to <br />ensure the integrity of the structure. Sediment volumes are <br />checked monthly and cleaned when 60 percent of the design <br />sediment storage volume is attained. <br />_12_ <br />