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Mountain Coal Company 1999 Mnusl Hydrology Report West Elk Mine <br />• Seeps and Springs Impacts <br />Hydrographs for all of the springs for the periods of record aze presented in Appendix E, in the <br />same order that the spring stations are listed in Table 2. The hydrographs provide a convenient <br />means for assessing flow variation over time. Seasonal trends can be established and pre-mining <br />(baseline) and post-mining data can be compared. <br />Based on Appendix D, WY99 spring flows were generally lower when compared with data from <br />past years. This trend corresponds well with the below average snowpack and streamflows <br />represented in Figures 2 through 5. Although the WY99 rainfall total was actually 108 percent <br />of normal, this total was heavily skewed by large amounts in April and July. <br />Monitoring of seventeen springs was discontinued in August 1999 following approval of <br />Technical Revision No. 88. It was determined that these springs were no longer providing useful <br />information toward the objective of assessing mining impacts. <br />Spring Water Quality Data <br />In addition to regularly monitoring the flows of 41 springs, MCC collects extensive water quality <br />data on the springs. The chemistry of spring flows may change if mining has impacted the <br />spring. The tables in Appendix E have been prepared to summarize the available data for all <br />measured parameters. These tables provide minimum, average, and maximum concentrations <br />under both baseline, when available, and WY99 conditions. <br />• Inspection e~ t!:° dct; reveals that, in general, water quality concentrations during WY99 were <br />comparable to those in previous years. The available data indicated that there were no deviations <br />during WY99 from baseline conditions. Available water quality data indicate that impacts to <br />spring water quality due to mining have not occurred as predicted. <br />Stock Ponds <br />Map 3 shows the locations of the stock ponds and U.S. Forest Service water resources relative to <br />the B-Seam longwall panels. As the map indicates, few of these resources were within the <br />influence of mining in WY99. As expected, no impacts were noted due to mining. <br />• <br />831-03?.520 Page24 Wright ltiarerEngineers <br />