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Section 780.21 (c) Continued. <br />• and quality of ground and surface water systems, seasonal vari- <br />ations in baseline levels, the interaction. of ground and surface <br />water systems, the possible mechanisms of impact due to mining, the <br />effects of reclamation and time, and proposed mitigative measures. <br />Finally, the cumulative effects of mining and reclamation on the <br />hydrologic balance of the mine plan and adjacent areas were evalu- <br />ated. <br />It should be noted that the following description of "probable <br />consequences" does not imply a determination of "adverse impacts". <br />Most of the effects discussed in this Section will be temporary; <br />provisions are made in this application for protection and restor- <br />ation of the premining hydrologic balance. The determination of <br />the effects o~ mining on the hydrologic balance was undertaken <br />using scientific methods and no implications are intended herein to <br />label these effects as being "adverse" or "beneficial" impacts. <br />• The scope and analysis of the prediction of probable hydrologic <br />consequences has been limite3 by necessity to those effects which <br />will likely be observed and measureable in the on-going hydrologic <br />monitoring program proposed in Section 780.21 (b). <br />In summary, the effects of mining on ground water systems in the <br />mine plan and adjacent area will be (1) partial dewatering of the <br />overburden aquifer; (2) temporary drawdown of water levels in the <br />adjacent area, (3) a temporarily increased postmining recharge <br />rate, (4) leaching of soluble ions in backfilled areas, and (5) <br />transport of accumulated dissolved salts through the overb~irdcn <br />aquifer out of the mine plan area. Probzble consequences of minine <br />on surface wafer systems will be (1) increased runoff and erosion <br />withln the mine plan areas only during operations, (2) increased <br />sediment load in drainages within the mine plan area during oper- <br />ations, (3) temporary increased salt leading in strezms draining <br />the mine plan area, and (4) a long term change in the ion balance <br />• <br />780-176 <br />