Laserfiche WebLink
C ° y~ <br />., <br />IN REPLY REFFA PD: <br />OFFICE OF SURFACE MINING <br />Reclamation and Enfo¢ement <br />1999 Broadway. Suite 3320 <br />Denver, Colorado 80202-5733 <br />September 22, 1997 <br />Mr. Rick Krueger <br />Assistant Field Supervisor, Colorado <br />U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service <br />Ecological Services <br />764 Horizon Drive, South Annex A <br />Grand Junction, Colorado 81506-3946 <br />Dear Mr. Krueger: <br />The Office of Surface Mining (OSM) is currently reviewing <br />National King Coal's (NKC) revision to add 260 acres to the <br />existing underground mining permit (C-81-035) in Federal Leases <br />• C-29125 and COC-49465. There will be no additional surface <br />disturbance associated with this revision. As a result of an <br />increase to the annual water consumption rate, OSM is requesting <br />the initiation of formal consultation to address the potential <br />impacts of water depletion to the endangered Colorado River <br />fishes. <br />The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) has determined that <br />water depletions in the Upper Colorado River System are a major <br />source of impact to the endangered fish species. Continued water <br />withdrawal has restricted the ability of the Colorado River <br />system to produce flow conditions required by various life stages <br />of these fish. This biological assessment addresses potential <br />impacts to the Colorado squawfish (PtychocheiZus lucius) and the <br />razorback sucker (Xyrauchen texanus). <br />The USFWS previously issued a biological opinion (6-CO-88-F-05) <br />for operations at the King Coal Mine on June 9, 1989. At that <br />time, the company estimated an annual water depletion of 0.7 <br />acre-feet from the San Juan River. NKC estimates that the <br />current daily water consumption for the operation is <br />approximately 10,300 gallons, 254 days per year, for 8.01 acre- <br />feet per year. This consumption rate is based on a maximum coal <br />production rate of 300,000 tons per year. Evaporation for two <br />settling ponds is estimated at 0.6 acre-feet per year. The total <br />annual consumption is 8.61 acre-feet, an increase of 7.91 acre- <br />. feet from the previous estimate of 0.7 in 1989. <br />OSM has determined that the proposed mining operation's depletion <br />United States Department of the Interior <br />