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not proposed for this five-year permit term. The potential location of <br />FW-2 has not been discussed in MCC's permit nor have designs been <br />submitted. A system of lined ditches convey water from the disturbed <br />areas to the ponds. With the exception of SG-1, all sedimentation <br />ponds discharge directly into the North Fork of [he Gunnison River. <br />The mine operation has obtained the appropriate NPDES permits. <br />Effluent quality for the sedimentation ponds has been monitored and <br />will continue to be monitored to determine permit compliance. The <br />applicant will also continue monitoring of surface water to determine <br />the impact of mining on the hydrologic regime. <br />Much of the surface water flow in the lease block is due to snowmelt <br />with dry season flows mostly supplied by sources a[ higher elevations <br />outside the lease block. Mining activities will not have a significant <br />effect on snowmelt runoff or sources outside the lease block. Life of <br />mine operations in F, B, and E Seams are not expected to have an <br />impact on streams as subsidence and propagation of fractures are to be <br />minimized under the proposed mine plan sections contained within the <br />permit document. <br />Minnesota and Beaver Reservoirs are both located below the outcrop of <br />the F Seam coal. These reservoirs are used to store water for irrigation <br />and will not be directly affected by mining. The portions of lower coal <br />seams under the reservoirs, including the E and B Seams, are legally <br />severed from the lease. <br />Several springs that feed into Minnesota Creek could be affected by <br />mining [o the extent that the flow is decreased or that they completely <br />dry out. In the current five-year permit term, no mining will take place <br />south of the Minnesota Creek Basin drainage divide with the exception <br />of a small area. Portions of panels 12, 13 and 13A are located south of <br />[he divide but do not undermine any drainage channels. It is expected <br />that this activity will not impact the hydrologic balance of the <br />Minnesota Creek Basin. A detailed discussion of measures taken to <br />assess and ensure the protection of the Minnesota Creek water supply is <br />contained in Exhibit 58 of the permit document entitled, "Protection of <br />Minnesota Creek Water Supply." <br />During Water Year 1982, the conditional right to withdraw water from <br />the North Fork was deemed absolute. When this water right is in <br />priority, water can be pumped from the intake point to the freshwater <br />pond. This water right is expected to be out of priority from July to <br />September. <br />The freshwater pond (FW-1) has a ten acre-foot capacity. Average <br />withdrawals from the North Fork of the Gunnison are nor expected to <br />42 <br />