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B. ALTERNATIVE WATER SUPPLY INFORMATION <br />• Groundwater <br />If, for any reason, any of the users of ground water whose <br />rights are established, were to be disrupted or contaminated, the <br />coal company will supply the user with water suitable far the <br />established use prior to the disruption. <br />It is possible that water will be supplied through the City <br />of Trinidad water system and paid for by the company until the <br />original well water quality and quantity have been returned to <br />the pre-disrupted levels. <br />If it is determined that the disruption is long-lasting, <br />another alternative water supply will be used, such as another <br />well or number of wells, possibly in another aquifer, to supply <br />the user with a comparable quality and quantity of water. <br />Two wells, side by side, were purchased 6y the previous <br />operator, 5undance Coal Company, for a backup water supply during <br />the prior permit term. The wells, the 5undance wells, are <br />located across Interstate 25 from the mine entrance. Enclosed on <br />the following page is a letter to the Colorado Water Resources <br />Division 2 Office stating that the wells will be pumped a maximum <br />of 72 hours during any one week period. <br />Surface Water <br />There are no concerns regarding impacts to surface water quantity <br />or quality nor concern for replacement of such waters. <br />The mining operation surface disturbance, as permitted, comprises <br />18% of the Starkville Gulch drainage area. Runoff from the <br />remainder of the drainage area is diverted around the operation. <br />A comparison of the permitted disturbed acreage and the drainage <br />area of Raton Creek, to which Starkville Gulch is tributary, <br />shows that the permitted disturbed area is O.lY. of the Raton <br />Creek drainage area. <br />Additionally, the highest flow from the actual disturbed area <br />during the preceeding permit term was 0.83 cfs compared to a <br />typical flow of 5,000 cfs for the Raton Creek drainage. <br />Therefore, it is very unlikely that a disruption or contamination <br />of significance could result. Furthermore, the pre-1977 coal <br />mining activities previously impacted both the water quantity and <br />quality. The current operations surface water systems have <br />alleviated many of the past problems. <br />• <br />547 <br />