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\ ' •_ , <br />~• <br />A Subsidiary o! Getty Coal Con,r,any <br />September 10, 1982 <br />,115. Sandi°a lrmrich <br />dined Land Declamation <br />423 Centennial Building <br />1313 Sherman Strut <br />Denver, CO 50203 <br />llear Sanely: <br /> <br />III /1 1/1 111 1 III I' ll ~ <br /> <br /> 999 <br />st»; n2tz~ <br />Stc..mboat Springs, CO 80477 <br />(3031 879-3h00 <br /> <br />SEP 1 ;~ i3?~ <br />1vINZp LAr:if r?Ec:Ll;~~,;,ilOrV <br />Colo. DEpt. oP fd2Plire( Rescurcc~ <br />Re: Aquatic Donitoring <br />An evaluation of the aquatic monitoring program presently being; <br />conducted at Colorado Yampa Coal Coml:;!.ny (CYCC) under the re.quirc- <br />ments o:f Pernti.t 7J-177, page 7S0-103, has ~,oen made by the Co]oracks <br />D:i.vi.sion of i1'i].dlife (CDOW). It was determined, because of the Wafture <br />o~ tt;e water system and the kinds of data being generated, that the. <br />ic•Cormation dcrivec] from the monitoring »rogrnm was not consequential. <br />It is, therefo.c, the desire of CYCC i:hal. the aquatic monitoring <br />prc~nram .required under 1?ermit 79-17'r be terminated and LhaC this letCer <br />migixt serve. as a minor modification t, Permit 79-].77, a]lo+vi.ng the <br />rescission of the monitoring pro~..ram. <br />As requested in your telephone conversation of September 9, 11152, <br />with Terrell. Johnson, 1;nvironmerLal Services, Getty Coal Department, <br />he has prepared the following brief summary of the aquatic monitoring <br />evaluation. <br />Under the terms of Fermi.t 79-177, the sampling program consists <br />of yearly monitoring' of (1) macrophytes, (2) fish, and (3) benthic <br />invertebrates at each of twelve samp]ing sites. <br />Alaczrophyte monitoring' has consisted oi' mapping aquatic macroph}•Les <br />along a 50 to 1O0n4 section of stream at each site. Our aquatic consul- <br />tants have concluded tlxat c41n>n--,.r ~.1, ~~~9r mncrophyto growth <br />distribution bet+veen curve periods is inconclusive. This is because <br />of: nattu•a varia xs iu stream flow and temperature which can chaare <br />}•early monitoring results. Also, the accuracy and detail aF the <br />established mapping' procedure does rot allow for a confident assessment <br />of alterations or impacts until at least 75% or more of th,.~ macrophytes <br />have di sapJ,eared. <br />Fish monitoring has consisted of malting one pass with bacla,ack <br />e]ectx•o-fishing gear thruugh 25 to 1001<1 sections at. cacti samplin;~ si.i.e <br />+rhex'e conditions permit. The remaining sites have been sampled by <br />dip netting when wafer is pxesent. Captured :fish are then idenl;ified, <br />enumerated, ;nsd released. Tish abundance within the study area creeks <br />has been extremely variable. It is suspectedilnt. the annual variahi1.ity <br />is re.latecl primarily; to natural alterations in habii.at (undercut banks, <br />pool depths, overhacnging brush) and the in;ermitteut nature of creeks <br />being sampled. Because of these factors, it is difficult to accurtCe]y <br />determine the influence of mining on fish populations. <br />