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the Apache Rocks permit revision area. Most of the wetlands are found <br />in drainage channels, although there are small, isolated wetlands on the <br />hillsides where springs and seeps occasionally emerge as a result of <br />landslides/sumps. <br />2. Probable Hydrologic Consequences of the West Elk Mine determination of <br />the probable hydrologic consequences of the proposed mining and <br />reclamation activities at the West Elk Mine has been made by the applicant, <br />and is found in Section 2.05.6(3) of the permit document. The operator has <br />projected the impacts based on past experience, expected rates of water use <br />and water discharge, hydrogeologic conditions associated with refuse <br />disposal areas, location and extent of surface disturbance and hydrogeologic <br />conditions associated with underground mine locations. <br />In past petTttit tetras, the West Elk Mine has mined the F Seam. In the <br />current term, West Elk will mine the B and E Seams. Activity in these <br />seams will involve longwall mining methods, with no activity in the F Seam. <br />The Probable Hydrologic Consequences section of the permit is divided into <br />two main subsections: Groundwater Effects and Surface Water Effects. <br />a. Groundwater Effects <br />There are no immediate demands on groundwater in the vicinity of the <br />West Elk Mine. Domestic water for the mine will be supplied by <br />surface water from the North Fork of the Gunnison River, as there is <br />limited potential to use groundwater as a resource. The primary <br />concern with groundwater quality and quantity is the possible impact on <br />springs, the potential for mine water discharge and groundwater quality <br />impacts in the mine facilities area. <br />The underground mining methods in use at the West Elk Mine can <br />affect groundwater in two ways. First, development mining in areas <br />where groundwater is present in or near the coal seam can cause <br />localized movement of this water into the mine workings. To date, <br />groundwater movement of this type has occurred in areas of low cover <br />which are highly fractured (near outcrops and near stream channels) <br />and where sandstone channels bearing water immediately overlie the <br />coal seam. Secondly, retreat mining can cause subsidence and the <br />fracturing of overlying groundwater aquifers. Again, water usually <br />moves into the mine workings. The petltteability of the F and B Seam <br />and overlying strata is very low and the areal extent and quantity of <br />water stored in these units is small. <br />Prior to construction of the mine, the applicant made an estimate of <br />mine inflow by using preliminary pump test results and the McWhorter <br />34 <br />