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associated with the WEM coal lease area, Map 37, which delineates the location of all known <br /> springs on the coal lease area, and Map 36, which shows the reservoirs and irrigation ditches <br /> associated with the Minnesota Creek Basin. <br /> A description of the surface water occurrence and mining impacts on adjacent areas can be <br /> found in the 'Probable Hydrologic Consequences of Mining" section of this document, and <br /> the "Cumulative Hydrologic Impact Study" document for this mine area. <br /> All of the streams draining the West Elk Mine permit area are tributaries to the North Fork of <br /> the Gunnison River. Sylvester Gulch, Lone Pine Gulch, and Gribble Gulch are ephemeral <br /> streams draining the northern portion of the lease area. Minnesota Creek and its tributaries, <br /> Horse Creek, South Prong, Lick Creek, Dry Fork, and East Fork, drain the southern portion of <br /> the coal lease area. Minnesota Creek enters the North Fork of the Gunnison River near <br /> Paonia. The overall drainage exhibits a dendritic drainage pattern with steep channels. Horse <br /> Creek and South Prong of the East Fork of Minnesota Creek are perennial streams, while <br /> Lick Creek, Upper Dry Fork, Sylvester Gulch and Gribble Gulch are ephemeral streams. <br /> Minnesota Reservoir controls much of the flow in the lower Dry Fork of Minnesota Creek, <br /> and Beaver Reservoir controls the flow in the East Fork of Minnesota Creek. Lone Pine <br /> Gulch has no evidence of recent flow; therefore, no gaging station has been constructed. <br /> Even when all of the six gaged watersheds were found to be flowing, Lone Pine Gulch <br /> showed no flow or evidence of flow. <br /> There are three different types of springs within the permit area including alluvial, colluvial, <br /> and bedrock springs. At least 69 springs have been identified within the permit area. <br /> Available data indicate that approximately 65 percent originate from alluvium and/or <br /> colluvium, and 35 percent have bedrock formation as their source. The flow rates of these <br /> springs are highly seasonal with peak flows occurring during wet weather conditions. <br /> Reservoirs and stock ponds also occur within or near the permit area. Minnesota Reservoir, <br /> on the Dry Fork of Minnesota Creek, is centrally located within the coal lease area. Beaver <br /> Reservoir on the East Fork of Minnesota Creek is located near the southwestern boundary of <br /> the coal lease area. <br /> In addition to the storage reservoirs in the area of the West Elk Mine, a total of 74 stock <br /> water impoundments have been identified in or adjacent to the permit area. Map 37 of the <br /> permit document shows the locations of the known stock water ponds. These ponds generally <br /> do not represent adjudicated water rights or perennial flows. Within the Gunnison National <br /> Forest, the ponds are managed for seasonal use by the U.S. Forest Service. <br /> Wetlands have also been identified within the permit area. Based upon inspection of <br /> conventional and infra-red aerial photographs and reconnaissance-level field investigation, <br /> there are estimated to be 2 to 3 acres of wetlands (as defined by the U.S. Army Corps of <br /> Engineers) in the Apache Rocks permit revision area. Most of the wetlands are found in <br /> drainage channels, although there are small, isolated wetlands on the hillsides where springs <br /> and seeps occasionally emerge as a result of landslides/sumps. <br /> I <br />