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~ -IG- Both the Xerr coal mine and the [Jyominq T'uel mine will affect the quality and quantity of water within the Sudduth coal, underburrlen and overburden. The quantity of water will be affected by mining out the outcrop-recharge areas of these strata and by the decreasing infiltration rates of the reclaimed surfaces in comparison to the natural surfaces. The quality of ground r,~ater will be degraded by the exposure of ground water to fractured and fragmented spoil material. The decreased quantity of ground water and the degradation of ground water will not affect the beneficial use of ground water on- and off-site, since no wells are completed in affected strata. Surface runoff will be slightly increased due to the lower infiltration rates over reclaimed surfaces. There is only one spring issuing from the strata affected by mining (i.e., the Sudduth seam), and this .is located at the northernmost extent of the Kerr mine. The flow from this seep is insiyn.ificant in relation to the surface water flow in Sudduth Draw. .Surface water quality is not expected to be degraded by spoil water following mining, since there presently is only one seep from affected strata, since this seep will be mined through by the Kez•r operation, and since there will be a Iow recharge to the spoil aquifer. The Wyoming Fuel Company's Canadian Strip mine has been designed to prevent material damage to the hydrologic balance of ground water outside the permit area. VIIa. Water Rights and Replacement (2.09.7(3), 2.05.6, 2.07.6, 4.05.15) Within Bolton Draw lies one adjudicated surface water right. This right, known as the Bolton Ditch, ocaned by the Noffsinger Ranch, is located in the NW't of the NEB' of Section 11, TBN, R78W. Filed under Case R'o. W-896, this ditch right bears an ap- propriation of 15 cfs. However, records show the average diversion to be 2-5 cfs. This ditch has been inactive for the last five years. Surface water storage at the mine site detains approximately 3e of the .surface water of the Bolton Draw watershed. Even assuming that a1I of this water would be lost to the surface water system, it is highly unlikely that any measureable diminution of flow will occur in Bolton Ditch. A monitoring system, designed to identify any contamination of waters serving Bolton Ditch, will be maintained throughout the Ii.fe of t/re permit. At present, one registered well lies in the vicinity of the Canadian Strip mine. This well, belonging to Kerr Coal Company, is located in the SE ,• of Section 35, T9N, R78[a, Filed under Permit No. 0X53-F, this well produces water from the Lower Coalmont Formation. For several reasons, any impact on quantity or quality of the water from this well, due to operations at the Canadian Strip mine, is unlikely. First, the well lies adjacent to the pit operations of the Kerr Strip mine, which is a distur- bance several times greater in size than that at the Canadian Strip mine, and any effect would be much more likely to be due to Kerr Coal Company operations. Second, due to very low transmissivities and low hydraulic communication between strata, it is unlikely that any significant recharge occurs with the Canadian .Strip mine affected areas. Wyoming Fuel Company intends to establish a water supply for sanitation at the Canadian Strip mine. The well will be located in the S[/; of the SW;' of Section 2, TBN, R78[J, and will penetrate the Upper Sandy Unit of the Pierre Shale Formation. As this well will be below the deepest strata mined, and due to low hydraulic communication between strata, no effect on this proposed well is expected. 'The applicant is in compliance with aZl sections of the Regulations concerning water rights protection.