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<br /> <br />However, since the proposed operation is designed to allow for the flow of <br />water in a manner to avoid injury to water rights holders, there are no <br />anticipated adverse affects on the water rights users in the area. <br />The operation is in compliance with requirements of this section. <br />VIII. Alluvial Vallev Floors - Rules 2.06.8 and 4.24 <br />The operator has identified the Ohio Creek valley as an alluvial deposit that <br />is greater than 50 feet wide and 10 acres in extent in the vicinity of the <br />mine. The Ohio Creek valley is approximately 2 miles from the mine. The <br />major agricultural crop in the valley is irrigated hay. Irrigation ditches in <br />the area have a decreed quantity of 99.7 cfs and water from these ditches is <br />used for flood irrigation purposes. The operator has determined that the <br />valley bottom holding Ohio Creek meets the criteria for definition of an <br />alluvial valley floor and this has been confirmed by the Division in the field. <br />Considering the previous discussions in this Findings document about the <br />hydrology in the area and given the distance of the mine from the AVF, the <br />Division makes the following findings pursuant to Rule 2.07.6(2)(k): <br />1. The surface coal mining operations will not interrupt, discontinue, or <br />preclude farming on an alluvial valley floor. <br />2. The Division finds that the surface coal mining operations will not <br />materially damage the quantity and quality of water in the surface and <br />underground systems that supply the alluvial valley floor or portions of <br />the alluvial valley floor. <br />3. The Division finds that the surface coal. mining and reclamation <br />operations will be conducted to preserve throughout the mining and <br />reclamation process the essential hydrologic functions of the alluvial <br />vaTTey floor. <br />IX. Assessment of Probable Hydrolo is Consequences of Mining and Cumulative <br />Hvdro oaic moacts - u es and c <br /> <br />The probable effects of the mining operation upon the ground water regime are <br />projected to be negligible. The mine is hydrologically isolated from the <br />surrounding area by faults. The minor amounts of water flowing from the <br />working face are pumped to the bottom of the slope and flow into the abandoned <br />Nu Mine workings. The ground water then exits the caved Nu Mine adit and <br />flows into a series of two stock ponds. It is unlikely that any excess water <br />would flow from these ponds because of their size relative to the small amount <br />of flow. In the event the water did flow from the ponds, it would flow <br />through a vegetated channel into Carbon Creek, a tributary of Ohio Creek. Any <br />water enteri~ig Carbon Creek is projected to have no adverse effects on water <br />-11- <br />