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<br />• <br />Executive Summary <br />This Annual Hydrologic Report (AHR) is <br />the twelfth annual report submitted for the <br />West Ell: Mine (formerly the Mt. Gunnison <br />No. 1 Mine) and covers the period from <br />1 October 1992 throw h 30 Se tember 1993 <br />water year 1993). The report describes and <br />interprets hydrologic monitoring data <br />collected at the West Elk Mine during water <br />year 1993 and assesses hydrologic impacts. <br />The report is divided into two sections. The <br />first section describes monitoring activities <br />for water year 1993. The second section <br />interprets the hydrologic data collected <br />during the year and relates this information <br />to mining and reclamation activities at West <br />Elk to assess the impacts, if any, on the <br />hydrologic balance. This section also ad- <br />dresses hydrologic impacts that might be <br />expected to occur during water year 1994. <br />An extensive baseline monitoring data base <br />has been developed for the West Elk Mine. <br />Operational monitoring started in August <br />1981 with commencement of construction <br />activities at West Elk. <br />Monitoring data for the period 1 October <br />1992 through 30 September 1993 show no <br />significant adverse impacts to the hydrologic <br />balance from mining activities at the West <br />Elk Mine. <br />Mine inflows including imported water <br />during water year 1993 were more than <br />during water year 1992. The volume of <br />water discharged from the underground <br />workings in 1993 was about 40 acre feet. <br />Areas being mined during <br />water year 1993 were about as wet as during <br />1992. <br />The quality of mine water sampled at 002A <br />during the 1993 water year was good <br />although there was one, unreproducible <br />failure of a ceriodaphnia biomonitoring test <br />in February. Accelerated testing showed <br />insignificant mortality. Discharges from all <br />sediment ponds were well within National <br />Pollution Discharge Elimirtation System <br />(NPDES) effluent limitations without <br />treatment. The sewage treatment pond <br />007A met all effluent limitations. <br />Mine water discharge in 1993 was from <br />Portal No. 2 into pond MB-1. No water was <br />discharged from the Sylvester Gulch <br />underground sump nor from Portal No. 5. <br />Discharged water had no measurable effect <br />on the quality of the North Fork of the <br />Gunnison River. <br />Activities at the bower Refuse Pile <br />increased iron concentrations in surface <br />water runoff, but had an insignificant effect <br />on surface or groundwater quality outside <br />the permit area. <br />Underground mining activities did not <br />produce any significant effects on springs, <br />groundwater wells, or surface water <br />monitoring stations during water year 1993. <br />Water year 1994 is expected to be similar to <br />1993 relative to hydrology at the mine. No <br />significant impacts are expected. <br /> <br />