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II.C Hydrology Regulations promulgated by the U.S. Office of Surtace Mining Reclamation and Enforcement (OSM) require that environmental resource information be assembled in areas of proposed surface or underground coal mining prior to the issuance of a permit to mine. Specifically, sections 783.13, 783.15, 783.16, and 783.17 of the OSM rules and regulations (found in volume 44, number 50 of the Federal Register dated Tuesday, March 13, 1979) require that hydrologic information be gathered prior to permit issuance. As a part of compliance with these regulations, a hydrologic study was conducted on Federal Coal leases C-023703, D-047201, C-0126669, C-8424 and C-8425 and adjacent contiguous areas (see Map 2 for location of lease boundaries, etc). Exploration drilling in lease COC-51551 during 1989 and 1991 indicates hydrologic conditions of this (ease are similar to conditions in the other six leases. BME (formerly Westem Fuels-Utah, Inc.) is operating an underground coal mine on this coal lease area. These properties are jointly referred to as 'Yhe Deserado Mine area or lease area". The lease area is in Rio Blanco county, Colorado, about 7 miles northeast of Rangely (Figure 11.C-1). This section describes the present hydrologic conditions of the area of concern, the expected impact of mining in the lease area on the local and regional hydrologic system, and the methods which have been and will be used to predict and monitor this impact. This section has been divided into six parts. The first part following the introduction describes the overall • hydrologic environment, giving a synopsis of the physical variables in the area which have an effect on the hydrologic system. The next part describes the surface water hydrologic system of the lease and adjacent areas along with the associated pre-, during, and post-mining monitoring programs. The third part discusses the groundwater hydrology and associated monitoring programs. Current water rights (surface and subsurface) within and surrounding the lease area are then presented. The fifth part contains a discussion of the probable impact of mining on the hydrologic system of the lease and adjacent areas. The final part lists references, including both literature cited in the report and personal contacts made with research organizations and governmental agencies during the study period. The majority of the data and information presented in this report were collected and analyzed between November 1978 and March 1981 (inclusive). Where appropriate, individual dates of collection will be noted in the main body of this report. No surface or mineral owners have indicated the presence of any existing gas or oil wells within the permit area. During the extensive fieldwork conducted by Western Fuels staff members and consultants for Western Fuels, no gas or oil wells, or evidence thereof, have been encountered. • Permit Renewal #3 (Rev. 8/99) II.C-1