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Foidel Creek flows adjacent to the TCC Foidel Creek Mine surface facilities and receives treated effluent from a <br />series of sediment ponds established at the facility. Mine site drainage is controlled through seven (7) sediment <br />ponds (Ponds T, B, C, D, E, F, and G -see Figure 2). Mine water is discharged from the mine and routed <br />through Pond D prior to being discharged to Foidel Creek. The Fish Creek drainage is located north of the Foidel <br />Creek Mine surface facilities area and overlies tracts, which have been longwall mined. Mine water is also <br />discharged into Fish Creek via the Fish Creek Borehole facility (discharge site 115). Former surface operations at <br />the Fish Creek Tipple site (east of the TCC Foidel Creek Mine) also discharge to Fish Creek at surface site 62. <br />The southwest area of TCC (Eckman Park area), have been reclaimed and has been released from bond. In <br />addition, the former surface mine area referred to as Area 1 was released from bond in January 2002. As a result, <br />the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment (CDPHE) subsequently approved eliminating Ponds <br />A (Eckman Park) and H (Area 1) from our ongoing NPDES monitoring program. <br />Surface coal mining has been conducted in the area since the 1960's. The Fish Creek Tipple site was constructed <br />in 1974, and ceased operation in 1983. The Foidel Creek Mine was later established in 1983, and has been an <br />on-going operation. The Foidel Creek Mine portals are faced-up in the down dip high-wall of the strip mine. <br />Hydrologic monitoring was initiated by CYCC in 1979. TCC continues the monitoring program under updated <br />DMG permit requirements, which is discussed in the next section. <br />Since mid-1987, hydrologic monitoring and reporting has primarily been conducted by TCC personnel. In May <br />• of 1995, a private firm {Miller Water Monitoring Service) was contracted to assist with hydrologic monitoring at <br />the TCC sites, and continues to assist in monitoring to date. Prior to June 1986, water quality analyses were <br />performed by the on-site CYCC laboratory. From 1987 to 2000, water quality analyses were primarily performed <br />by ACZ Laboratories (formerly Bookcliffs) of Steamboat Springs, Colorado. Beginning in 2001, water quality <br />analysis has primarily been performed by Commercial Testing & Engineering (C.T.&E.) of Denver, Colorado. <br />Note that in 2003, DMG approved TR03-42 (See Permit Exhibits 14-5, 14-6, and 14-10), and PR 03-06 (See <br />Permit Exhibits 14-7 through 14-9), which eliminated several surface, alluvial, and bedrock well monitoring sites, <br />and reduced [he monitoring frequency of other sites, while adding additional monitoring requirements [o existing <br />surface site 305. Data from terminated sites can be found in previous AHRs. <br />Three former US Geologic Survey (USGS) surface water sites (USGS 09243700, USGS 09243800 and USGS <br />09243900) were monitored for flow by the USGS through the 2001 water year. Prior to the 1989 Water Year, the <br />USGS had collected and analyzed water quality samples from these sites. From the 1989 water year to date, TCC <br />has collected water quality samples from these sites for laboratory analysis. Beginning with [he 2002 water year, <br />TCC took over monitoring of these three sites (referred to as sites 700, 800, and 900, respectively) from the <br />USGS. In 2003, TR03-42 eliminated site 700 on Middle Creek. <br />3.0 2005 HYDROLOGIC MONITORING PROGRAM <br />• Specific monitoring site locations and their elevations are shown on Figure 2. Required monitoring frequencies <br />are listed in Permit No. C-82-056, under Exhibit 14. 2005 data cables and figures for each site are referenced in <br />2 <br />