REP02056 - Laserfiche WebLink

Home Browse Search

• S-1 -Upper Sanborn Creek and S-2 -Lower Sanborn Creek Surface water monitoring points S-1 Upper Sanborn Creek and S-2 -Lower Sanborn Creek were established to monitor the flow in Sanborn Creek above and below the disturbed azea of the Sanborn Creek Mine site. Sanborn Creek also receives discharge water from the Sanborn Creek mine, consisting primarily of natural mine water inflows and some runoff of imported (from North Fork intake) water from the mining sections. The mine water discharge (CDPS discharge point 011) commingles with upper Sanborn Creek flow for a distance of approximately 300 feet through culverts under the railroad and highway prior to discharging into the North Fork of the Gunnison River. The S-2 sample site is located at the outlet of the culvert, prior to the confluence with the river. Sanborn Creek, an ephemeral stream, flows at monitoring point S-1 during spring runoff and significant precipitation events. The disturbed mine site area and mine water could affect the quality of water in Sanborn Creek at Point S-2 only when there is flow at S-1. For this reason, S- 2 is monitored only if S-1 has flow. Due to the severe drought conditions, S-1 (and S-2) did not flow in 2002. C-1 -Lower Coal Gulch Surface water monitoring point C-1 -Lower Coal Gulch, an ephemeral drainage, is monitored to . verify that the Sanborn Creek mine does not have an adverse affect on the quality of runoff in this drainage. Due to drought conditions, during 2002 there was no flow in Coal Gulch. NF - 1,2,3 -North Fork of the Gurmison River Surface water monitoring points NF-1 (North Fork upstream), NF-2 (North Fork mid- downstream) and NF-3 (North Fork downstream) were selected to monitor the water quality in the North Fork of the Gunnison River above and below the disturbed surface mine site of the Sanborn Creek Mine. Monitoring point NF-3 was established in September 1997 to monitor mining-related water quality impacts from the West Valley coal refuse pile. It should be noted that NF-3 is also downstream from the town of Somerset and monitoring results for this station most likely reflect impacts from domestic water use, leakage from sanitary sewers, the Beaz Mine discharges, and other factors that are not related to the Sanbom Creek or Elk Creek Mines. Similarly, the sample locations aze downstream of the adjacent Mountain Coal Company discharge points and potential other less discrete historic mine discharges. Due to the severe drought, flows in the river were predictably less than normal. No significant changes were noted in the data. HN-1 -Lower Hawk's Nest Creek Surface water monitoring site HN-1 Lower Hawk's Nest Creek, is monitored to verify that the • Sanborn Creek mine does not have an adverse effect on the quality or quantity of runoff from this ephemeral drainage. Due to the drought conditions, no flow was recorded in Hawks Nest Creek.