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West Elk Mine 2003 Annual Hydrology Report 9 <br />• 3.1.1 Upper North Fork Surface Water Monitoring Stations <br />3.1.1.1 Deep Creek <br />Deep Creek is a perennial stream that drains the Box Canyon panel area. The upper Deep Creek <br />monitoring station is located up-gradient of the Box Canyon mine panel area and the West Flatiron <br />LBA. The Lower Deep Creek monitoring station is down-gradient of the SE mine panel area and <br />is directly east of mine Panel 14. <br />3.1.1.2 Box Can, <br />Box Canyon is an ephemeral drainage. The upper reach of the drainage is typically dry and the <br />lower reach of the drainage only flows during storm events and during the spring in wet years. The <br />Box Canyon station is located at the mouth of the drainage and was established to monitor down- <br />gcadient of the Box Canyon panel area. <br />3.1.1.3 North Fork Upper <br />The North Fork is a major perennial stream that drains the northern mine area. The North Fork <br />Upper monitoring station is located up-gradient of the mine facilities area and up-gradient of the <br />mine discharge points. The underground mine water discharge flows into Sylvester Gulch then <br />into the North Fork. The mine surface water runoff is treated and routed to holding ponds and is <br />then discharged to the North Fork, if necessary. All of the mine discharge occurs between the <br />North Fork Upper and North Fork Lower monitoring stations. <br />3.1.1.4 Sylvester Gulch <br />Sylvester Gulch is an intermittent stream that drains the north central mine area. All the active <br />surface facilities of the mine are located within the Sylvester Gulch drainage area including the <br />main road to the mine facilities, mine waste dump, mine shop and offices, mine portal, mine <br />ventilation shafrs, and the mine water discharge facility. The three monitoring sites in Sylvester <br />Gulch, upper, middle and lovrer Sylvester Gulch are designed to monitor up-gradient of the mine <br />surface facilities area, down-gradient of the mine water discharge point and mine facilities, and <br />down-gradient of the mine spoils dump, respectively. <br />3.1.2 Lower North Fork Surface Monitoring Stations <br />3.1..2.1 North Fork Lower <br />The North Fork Lower Station monitors the North Fork down-gradient of the mine facilities area <br />and mine discharge points. <br />September 2004 HydroGeo, Inc. <br />