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Mr. Michael R. Neumann <br />October 15, 1997 <br />Page 2 <br />3. The Division has the following question regazding how data aze reported. Concentrations <br />of some parameters were reported in 1996 as "total recoverable", or in some cases <br />"dissolved", in contrast to past yeazs' reports which had no such annotations. Are the <br />annotated values directly compazable to figures not annotated in prior yeazs? <br />Water~uality exceedances <br />The water monitoring data in the report and the NPDES Dischazge Monitoring Reports indicate <br />that no water compliance limitations were exceeded. <br />Surface water quality -Ponds 003 and HG-8 <br />All water flowing on the ground surface (runoff, effluent from seeps and springs) in the permit <br />azea is routed through ponds 003 and HG-8 and then flows into the stream channel of Hayden <br />Gulch which lies on the east side of County Road S3. Hayden Gulch flows southwest to the <br />Williams Fork River drainage. (Ponds 001 and 002 were reclaimed in October 1996.) There <br />were no exceedances of the ponds' dischazge limitations in 1996. <br />There is a strong contrast between the chemical composition of water from pond HG-8 compazed <br />to pond 003. Pond HG-8 collects water from the mined-out pit azea and the excess spoils pile. <br />Spoil springs and seeps feed HG-8. Consequently, the water is very hazd (more than 700 mg/1 of <br />calcium cazbonate) and is high in total dissolved solids (greater than 2,000 mg/1). The high <br />sulfate content in 199b (greater than 1300 mg/1) is characteristic of the oxidation of sulfur <br />minerals (gypsum and/or iron sulfides) in coal spoils. In contrast, surface water from the west <br />side of the road in pond 003 originates from surface runoff from disturbed (but unmined) ground <br />and one natural bedrock seep. The water is relatively soft (less than 200 mg/1 of calcium <br />cazbonate) and it is low in total dissolved solids (less than 300 mg/1). The sulfate content was <br />very low in 1996 at 40 mg/1. Water from pond 003 is suitable for agricultural use, but water <br />from pond HG-8 appeazs to be too high in sodium and sulfate for such use, which leads to the <br />following question. <br />4. Section 2.OS.S of the permit designates livestock grazing and wildlife habitat as the post- <br />. mining land uses of the H-G mine site. Section 2.OS.4(1) of the permit says that pond <br />HG-S is a permanent impoundment that will provide a source of water for livestock. <br />Given the pond's current high sodium and sulfate levels, please explain how pond HG-8 <br />can be used as a sowce of water for livestock. <br />Surface water quality -UHG-1 <br />The chemical compositions of waters from the upstream surface water monitoring site, UHG-l, <br />have fluctuated within a narrow range since monitoring began in 1987. No vends in composition <br />upwazd or downwazd are evident. The water is suitable for agricultural use and possibly for <br />drinking water. <br />