PERMFILE109627

• Permit No: C1981008A
• IBM Index Class Name: Permit File
• Doc Date: 3/25/2003
• Section_Exhibit Name: NH2 Section 2.05.6‎(3)‎ Protection of the Hydrologic Balance
• Media Type: D
• Archive: Yes

• Water Rights and Alternative Water Supplies
Introduction
A new inventory of water rights around both New Horizon mine sites was made in 2001. Ground
water rights within the immediate region (2 mile radius) around the New Horizon Mine are presented
in the Appendix to Section 2.04.7-1. In all, 29 ground water rights have been identified in the
vicinity of the New Horizon 1 and New Horizon 2 mining areas. All monitoring wells installed by the
permittee and domestic wells within the surrounding area are shown on Map 2.04.7-1-A. Analyses
and programs integral to the Water Rights Plan are presented in several sections of the permit. A
review of these sections is appropriate. Pit inflow volumes and pit pumpage drawdown projections
are discussed and presented in Probable Hydrologic Consequences at the end of this section.
Impacts of mining discharges on downstream water quality and the shallow ground water quality
for water use considerations are also presented in Probable Hydrologic Consequences at the end
of this section. Specific ground and surface water monitors forthe purpose of verifying drawdowns
and changes related to water rights in streamflow volumes will be agreed to with CDMG. Finally,
the detailed water rights plan which integrates the above-referenced information is presented in
Peabody Attachment 16-1.
Water Riohts Protection and Mitioation Plan
The following discussion briefly summarizes the approach to the water rights plan. All ground and
surface water rights within a reasonable distance of the New Horizon Mine have been documented.
Pit inflow and pit pumpage drawdown analyses were performed and tabulated. Drawdowns and
pit bottom elevations were compared against water righted well production zone elevations to
determine which wells, if any, could potentially be impacted by the mining induced drawdowns.
Similarly, surface water rights within the one-foot drawdown contours were identified as those
surface water rights which could potentially be impacted by the mining induced drawdowns.
Drawdown depletion rates were then estimated at the different surface water right locations and
replacement rates were determined for each.
Calculations were performed to estimate industrial uses of surface water and evaporative losses
from the six sediment ponds receiving runoff from the mining areas. This work was performed by
Peabody. An augmentation plan was then developed for augmenting these surface water losses
during each month of the irrigation period and storing water during the winter months (Peabody
Table 9 in Attachment 16-1 ).
• (REVISED 6/01) 2 . O5 . 6 (3) - 10