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• Calculations were performed for Tuttle and Calamity Draws and the San Miguel Riverto determine <br />if mine discharges would diminish receiving water quality to the extent that surface water rights <br />would be injured (preclude present or potential uses of the water). This was determined not to be <br />a significant impact and no mitigation is required. <br />Finally, specific, additional monitors will be proposed as part of the water rights plan to help insure <br />that the impact and water loss volume projections were reasonable. Piezometers may be proposed <br />in the immediate vicinity of the New Horizon 2 mining area to help quantify drawdowns. <br />Alternative Water Supplies <br />WFC will use the following alternative water sources to mitigate any ground or surface water right <br />impacts. WFC has available 114.5 acre-feet of surface water, which is a consumptive use credit <br />associated with WFC's ownership of 21 shares of the Colorado Cooperative Company (CCC). <br />WFC has an absolute 4 acre-foot storage right for the 001 reservoir at the New Horizon 1 mining <br />area and is projected to have 18 acre-feet of pit pumpage during the non-irrigation season available <br />to them for use. WFC also has a 1.5 acre-foot ground water right associated with the mined out <br />shop well. <br />It is from these alternative sources of water that the surface water augmentation plan has been <br />developed. No ground water impacts requiring mitigation are forecast. However, should a ground <br />water supply be diminished to such an extent that it precludes its use, WFC will replace this supply <br />with surtace water available to them or will replace the well. Only 62.1 acre-feet of CCC water is <br />required for the surface water augmentation plan. <br />Alluvial Valley Floors <br />Introduction <br />At the request of the CDMG, Peabody submitted, on November 17, 1980, a report entitled <br />"Reconnaissance Investigation forthe Identifcation of Potential Alluvial Valley Floors in the Vicinity <br />of the Nucla Mine". The reconnaissance area included those portions of Tuttle and Calamity Draws <br />which are adjacent to or near the New Horizon Mine. The San Miguel River was not taken into <br />consideration. However, CDMG undertook a study in 1983 to determine if the San Miguel River <br />could be considered a potential alluvial valley floorwhere it runs adjacentto the New Horizon Mine. <br />The results of that study determined that there was a sufficient distance separating the mine from <br />• (REVISEp6/01) 2.05.6(3) - 11 <br />