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<br />INTRODUCTION <br />1 <br />' The Colorado Yampa Coal Company Mine No. 3 is located approximately 25 miles <br />southwest of Steamboat Springs, Colorado in Twentymile Park (Figure 1). It was <br /> primarily a surface coal mining operation with limited underground mining. The <br /> surface mine, which was active between 1974 and 1980, was called Mine No. 3. An <br /> attempt was made to start an underground mine, called the Middle Creek Mine. It <br />t was faced-up in a M ine No. 3 highwall. Operations began May 16, 1979, but the <br /> mine was abandoned on June 5, 1980 due to adverse mining conditions. No <br />' significant amounts of coal were extracted. The Wadge coal seam was extracted <br />at both mines. There is no active mining in this area and a total of <br />' approximately 296 acres were disturbed. Mine 3 straddles the confluence of <br />Middle and Foidel Creeks. A small portion of Mine No. 3 drains into Fish Creek; <br /> however, bond has been released for this area. All impacts related to Fish <br /> Creek are discussed in t he 1986 Water Year Annual Hydrologic Report for the Fish <br /> Creek Tipple (Permit No . C-81-036). No active mining is taking place at Mine <br />' No. 3 and the area has been backfilled, regraded, and revegetated. An <br /> administrative facility located in the Mine 3 area is still used by Colorado <br />' Yampa Coal Company. County road 33 runs through the site. <br />' Hydrologic monitoring has been conducted in the area since 1975. This report <br /> covers th e hydrologic monitoring for calendar year 1986. The previous <br /> monitoring of this area was presented in the 1985 Annual Hydrologic Report. The <br />' hydrologic monitoring has been divided into four parts: 1) ground water, 2) <br /> surface water, 3) spoil springs, and 4) effluent sites. The monitoring <br /> locations are shown on Figures 2 and 3 an d summarized on Table 1. The parameter <br /> lists are shown on Tables Z through 4. A complete listing of all water data <br />collected at the monitoring sites is submitted separately. Summaries of the <br />complete data set and the 1986 data are presented on Tables 5 to 35 and Figures <br />' 4 to 29. Most of the monitoring is conducted by a consultant, Al Miller of <br />Steamboat Springs, Colorado. Some of the sampling is conducted by mine <br />' personnel. Most of the water quality analyses were performed by ACZ <br />Laboratories (formerly Bookcliffs) of Steamboat Springs, Colorado. Prior to <br />June, 1986 some of the water quality testing was performed by the Colorado Yampa <br />' Coal Company laboratory. Two sites are monitored by the US Geologic Survey <br />(USGS) and the samples they collect are analyzed in their laboratory. <br />' -1- <br />