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• 2 06 7 VARIANCEC FOR DELAY IN CONTEMPORANFOLIS RECLAMATION RFt7LliRFMENTS IN <br />COMBINED SURFACE AND LINDERGROLJND MINING OPERATIONS <br />CEC is strictly an underground coal mining operation and will not conduct any surface mining activities. However, <br />reclamation activities are and will be undertaken on vazious old, abandoned surface mining operations. Refer to <br />Section 2.05.4 for detailed reclamation plans. <br />2.06.8 SURFACE COAL MIMING AND RECLAMATION ON AREAS OR ADJACENT TO AREAS <br />tNCL fN i.. 1VI t V i LEY FLOORS <br />The two (2) river systems which contain alluvial valley floor deposits and pass through the CEC Permit area are, 1) <br />Yampa River and 2) Williams Fork River. The location of the two (2) rivers relative to the CEC mine permit <br />boundary is shown on the Structures and Renewable Resources Map (Map 25) and the Regional Geology and <br />Hydrologic Monitoring Program Location Map (Map 11) <br />Mining~3istory of the Yampa and Williams Fork River Valley Floors <br />Yampa River Valle,. Very limited mining has occurred on the Yampa River valley floor. The W.R. Grace <br />gravel pit, started in 1976, is the only active mine. However, no gravel has been extracted from this pit for a number <br />of years. Two (2) ponds were created as a result of the gravel mining activity. <br />Development entries from the Eagle No. 9 mine extended under a limited portion of the Big Bottom area. However, <br />. the Eagle No. 9 mine is now abandoned; and, approval for mining in the No. 9 mine in the Big Bottom area is not <br />being requested in this permit submittal. <br />Williams Fork River Valley Floor. The No. 5 mine was established on the Williams Fork River valley floor during <br />the early 1970's. Mine entries were developed into the "F" coal seam which outcropped above the valley floor. All <br />surface facilities were constructed near the portal entries on the valley floor. The No. 5 mine currently utilizes the <br />original portal entries and surface facilities as well as the surface facilities added to the CEC operation during 1981 <br />and 1982. <br />In addition to the No. 5 mine, two (2) other mines have operated on the Williams alluvial valley floor. These were the <br />1) Leo White mine and 2) the Wise Hill No. 4 mine. Mining operations were terminated in the Leo White mine in <br />1935 and in the Wise Hill No. 4 mine in 1971. Surface facilities utilized by these mines were located on the periphery <br />of the Williams Fork Valley Floor. <br />The Big Bottom area has very little topographic relief. Due to the minor elevation differences between the Yampa <br />River and the valley floor, portions of the valley floor are flooded during the spring runoff. The width of the Big <br />Bottom alluvial valley is as much as 9,000 feet and averages about 5,000 feet. <br />The soils in the Big Bottom have been extensively mapped. Information on the soils is provided in Section 2.04.9, <br />Soil Resource Information. Except for the marshy areas and alkali flats, the soils are conducive to hay production. <br />Marshy areas and to a greater extent alkali flats are present. The alkali flats can be observed from State Highway 13 <br />during the spring, summer, and fall seasons. Where possible, pastures have been established and are utilized for both <br />. hay production and grazing. As noted in Section 2.04.10, Vegetation Information, all of the Big Bottom area is <br />grazed including the sagebrush that can be found over a large portion of the area. <br />Permit Renewal No. 3 2.06-2 7/15/98 <br />