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north of the confluence of Cazbon Junction Canyon with the Animas River, The applicant has <br />given the Division little information on subirrigation of the alluvium and lower terrace deposits; <br />however, the Division has made aworst-case assumption that the deposits aze subirrigated and <br />therefore constitute an AVF. <br />Alluvial Valley Floor Findin¢s <br />Rule 2.06.8(5)(a)(i)(A~(I~ <br />The Cazbon Junction Mine will not mine within the Animas River alluvial valley floor or <br />have surface mining facilities located on the alluvial valley floor. Therefore, the mining <br />operation will not interrupt, discontinue, or preclude farming on the alluvial valley floor. <br />2. Rule 2.06.8(5)(a)(i)(A)(II) <br />The mining operation will impact the quantity and quality of water tributary to the Animas <br />River alluvial valley floor. However, the impacts to the quality and quantity of water will <br />be insignificant and not cause material darnage to the surface and ground water systems <br />supplying the alluvial valley floor. <br />The evaporation of water in the sediment ponds will cause an increase in total dissolved <br />solids in surface waters. Surface water also will gain increased total dissolved solids by <br />flowing through the disturbed azeas. These increases in total dissolved solids will not <br />exceed NPDES requirements prior to dischazge. Also, any increased TDS levels will be <br />diluted by the flows in the Animas River. Sediment levels will be reduced through the <br />sediment control system and thus will not impact water quality supplying the alluvial valley <br />floor. <br />The quantity of ground water will not be degraded due to mining and any dischazge from <br />aquifers is an insignificant contribution to the water supplying the alluvial valley floor and <br />impacts to water quality will be mitigated by the dilution of this water by the larger stream <br />flows in the Animas River. <br />Rule 4.24 <br />The Division finds that the reclamation operations will be conducted to preserve the <br />essential hydrologic functions of the alluvial valley floor. No mining operations will be <br />conducted on the Animas River alluvial valley floor and the impact to the quality and <br />quantity of ground and surface waters supplying the Animas River AVF will not cause <br />material damage, given the present reclamation plan. <br />16 <br />