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tYesr Elk Mine <br />• <br />Table 33 Summary of Mountain Coal Company's Water Rights for the West <br />Elk Mine <br />Source of Water Water Rights <br />Mt. Gunnison Pipeline 15.00 cubic feet per second <br />Tony Bear Pipeline 0.9 cubic feet per second <br />Chipmunk Ditch 1.0 cubic feet per second <br />Walter Gallob Ditch 0.75c cubic feet per second <br /> <br />Sedimentation Ponds: <br />MB #1 13.66 acre-feet <br />MB #2 9.61 acre-feet <br />MB-#3 0.23 acre-feet <br /> <br />Freshwater Ponds: <br />FW #1 9.98 acre-feet <br />FW #2 9.98 acre-feet <br /> <br />Mt. Gunnison Tunnel 0.49 feet per second <br />Notes: 1. These facilities bare not yet been constructed <br />• production was 600,000 tons per year. At this rate, water needs were about 65 acre feet per year. <br />The Annual Hydrology Reports contain specific data on the amount of water consumed annually <br />at the mine since 1982. <br />Water used at the West Elk Mine comes from adjudicated water rights owned by Mountain Coal <br />Company. Table 33 summarizes Mountain Coal Company's rights. The rights aze used according to <br />Colorado Water Laws administered by the District No. 4 Water Commissioner. <br />Raw or untreated water is pumped underground from the freshwater pond (FW-1) by pumps <br />located in the water treatment plant. <br />The water distribution system at the West Elk Mine contains several major components. They are <br />the raw water intake gallery and pumps, cast or steel utility piping, fresh water storage pond (FW- <br />I), water treatment plant, mine water pumps, a 1.2 million gallon mine water storage tank, <br />freshwater pump, potable water tank, and fire suppression systems. A second freshwater pond (FW- <br />2) has not yet been built. However, its construction is still planned to meet future storage needs. <br />Water pumped underground is used for dust suppression and to maintain fire fighting systems. <br />Currently, none of the water seeping into the mine is used in the mine. Thus, the water inflows are <br />pumped out of the mine, treated, and discharged according to NPDES permit requirements. <br />Because the seepage is small, occurs neaz the outcrop, and fluctuates seasonally, it is not usable. <br />However, if water is encountered in the future in such quantities that it can be used in the mining <br />operations, it will be used when that particular water right is in priority. <br />2.05-20 Revised Sep. 1995 TR77; Rertsed Oct. 1995 AIR/70 <br />