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<br />Section 780.21(b) Continued. <br />Surface Water Ouality Protection <br />Surface Water Hvdroloav. <br />The surface water hydrology in the general, mine plan, and tipple <br />areas is characteristic of a high altitude semi-arid environment. <br />Most of the general area is drained by ephemeral streams which flow <br />only in response to spring snowmelt or extremely heavy summer <br />rainstorms. The mine plan area contains three intermittent streams, <br />Bush, Williams and Sudduth Draws. Several man-made ponds exist in <br />the intermittent draws within the mine plan are and are used for <br />stock water supply. All surface water features of the general area <br />and the mine plan area are shown on Map 5a, North Park Hydrology and <br />on Map 16a, Kerr Mine Area Surface Water Hydrology. Surface water <br />features of the tipple area are shown on Map 11a, Kerr Tipple Area <br />Hydrology. Detailed information on the surface water regime is set <br />forth and referenced under Section 779.16.- - - -- <br />Imoacts of Mining on Surface Water Oualitv. <br />Mining activities in the mine plan area wil] create changes in <br />baseline surface water quality. Mining practices such as removing <br />and stockpiling topsoil, clearing vegetation, haul road construction, <br />overburden and coal handling, and vehicular travel will increase <br />runoff rates and cause a potential for increased erosion and <br />increased total suspended solids (TSS) concentrations of streams <br />within the mine plan area. Increased erosion and increased <br />concentrations of TSS may also occur at the Kerr Tipple Area. <br />Detention of water in sedimentation ponds and pumping water out of <br />mine pits may increase the total dissolved solids (TDSj <br />concentrations in streams. Increased salt loading of surface waters <br />' may also result from the leaching of spoil materials before they are <br />returned to the pit. <br />A potential problem with some mining operations is the leaching of or <br />drainage from toxic, acid- or alkaline-producing materials. With <br />respect to the Kerr coal operation to be conducted within the <br />- 780-91R Revised - January, 1991 <br />