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MEETING WITH WATER USERS -STEVEN'S GULCH DRAINAGE October O8, 1984 • Page two and bedrock water which is the water encountered in the mine. The bedrock water is higher in salinity than the surface water and it is felt that the two systems are separate. During a study last summer, 36 total ponds, springs, etc. were identi- fied in the Steven's Gulch drainage basin. Sixteen of these were monitored each month as a part of CWI's extensive hydrology program. There are 2,054 acres in the Steven's Gulch drainage basin; 46.3 per- cent of the acreage is in the lease area. Through a stipulation, BLM is protecting Steven's Gulch and Roatcap from subsidence by requiring buffer zones where there is less than 600 feet thickness (overburden) above the coal, Geo-Hyrdo, a consultant to CWI, was hired to do an objective, third- party study on coal mining subsidence. Two areas between Steven's Gulch and East Roatcap Creek were identified as having less than 600 feet of overburden. The government also prepared a similar study and states that the 600 feet of overburden would be a safe limit. To be on the safe side, CWI has used 800 feet. Two times during each year, the area previously mined by CWI is measured to determine if any subsidence is occurring. Waliy AAcCaw questioned the proposed water replacement plan. Jim explained that if CWI were to damage any of the water in these areas, the • water would have to be replaced by CWI. The mine itself is a very dry mine where water has to be pumped i n for dust control. Even with little chance of subsidence damage, CWI will have a replacement plan. Otto Pavlisick asked if CWI was mining under Terror Creek. Jim told him that CWI would never undermine Terror Creek. Matt Sakurada then talked about the water protection plans and the language that has been written into the lease through stipulations which have been attached by BLM. The lease boundary lines were drawn so that CWI would not mine under Terror Creek. On the West, the boundaries were set up so that CWI would not mine under the Stucker Mesa Pipeline Springs or under the West Roatcap channel or streambed. If subsidence did occur and water flowed into the mine, the first response would be to repair the problem area. The protection plan includes: 1) determining the location of the lease lines; 2) provision of a buffer zone where the overburden is less than 600 feet so that cracks will not develop. Only limited mining would be allowed in the buffer zones. Retreat mining would not be done, leaving pillars to support the surface. •