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iiiiii-iiiii iiii ii i <br />STATE OF COLORADO <br />DIVISION OF MINERALS AND GEOLOGY <br />Deparimenl u(Natural Rewurces <br />1313 Sherman $L, Room ' I $ <br />Denver, Colorado 80203 <br />Phune: (3031 866J567 <br />FA?(: ISO {) 852-8106 <br />DATE: October 11, 1996 <br />TO: Erica Crosby <br />FROM: Susan Burgmaier <br />RE: Colowyo Coal Mine (C-81-019) <br />1995 Annual Hydrology Report <br />~~ <br />DEPARTMENT OF <br />NATURAL <br />RESOURCES <br />Roy Romer <br />Governor <br />lames 5 Lochhead <br />Executive Director <br />Michael B. Long <br />Division Direclar <br />I have completed a review of the 1995 AHR for Colowyo. Following are my comments: <br />1. The prediction of probable hydrologic consequences (PHC) in the permit application is <br />that there will be no significant impacts to quantity or quality in Goodspring, Taylor, or <br />Wilson Creeks, and there will be no impact on groundwater quantity or quality. <br />2. Surface water monitoring to date indicates there are seasonal variations in quantity and <br />quality. There do not appear to be significant effects on quality or quantity that can be <br />attributed to the mine. There was a noticeable increase over the upstream site in <br />suspended solids at lower Goodspring Creek on December 5, 1995. This corresponds to <br />a non-compliant discharge reported by Colowyo on the same day. The increase in <br />Goodspring Creek, however, was not extraordinary and was not outside of the range of <br />low flow values reported since 1982. <br />3. Colowyo provided graphs of data for certain parameters with the monitoring data for the <br />Gossard well. Since increased salinity is a possible effect that the loadout may have on <br />groundwater, it would be helpful if total dissolved solids (TDS) were included in the <br />graphed parameters. <br />4. The graph for conductivity in the Gossard Well does not include 1995 data, and should <br />be revised to include it. <br />5. The data for the Gossard well indicates an increase in a number of constituents (calcium, <br />conductivity, hardness, iron, magnesium, manganese, sulfate, and TDS) in the May 23, <br />1995 sample over Previous years. The text for the report states that "[a] review of the <br />data does not Indicate any groundwater problems associated with the Gossard Coal <br />Loadout Facility." The data from the May sample does not support this statement. The <br />increases should be explained, and the statement that the data does not indicate any <br />groundwater problems should be reevaluated. <br />6. The report is well organized, and the presentation of data in a cumulative report is very <br />helpful in identifying trends over the life of the mine. <br />SLB\074ahr <br />