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STATE OF COLORADO <br />DIVISION OF MINERALS AND GEOLOGY <br />Department of Natural Resources <br />1313 Sherman St., Roam 215 <br />Denver, Colorado 80203 <br />Phone: (303) 8663567 <br />FAX: (303) 832-0106 <br />September 2, 2005 <br />Dennis Jones <br />Seneca Coal Company <br />P. ~. BOX 670 <br />Hayden, CO 81639 <br />Re: Seneca II Mine (Permit No. C-80-005) <br />2004 Annual Hydrology Report Review <br />Dear Mr. Jones: <br />OLORADO <br />I y 1 5 1 D N O F <br />INERALS <br />1G EO LOGYI <br />RECLANATION•NINING <br />EArRY•SUENCE <br />Bill Oarem <br />Gmemw <br />Russell George <br />Executive Director <br />Ronald W. fanany <br />Division Director <br />Natural Resource Trustee <br />The Division has reviewed Seneca Coal Company's (BCC's) 2004 Annual Hydrology Report <br />(AHR) for the Seneca II Mine. The AHR was received on February 25, 2005 and contains water <br />quality and quantity data for the 2004 Water Yeaz. The 2004 report was filed in a timely manner, <br />and the report is well written and concise. <br />SCC met all required surface water and ground water monitoring frequencies. With only minor <br />exceptions, all required ground water and surface water field data and laboratory analytical data <br />were obtained. A water sample could not be obtained from Well SOV42 due to a lack of water <br />in the well casing. SCC attempted to collect surface water samples for field parameters and <br />laboratory analysis from all required surface water sites. Monitoring frequencies were met at all <br />sites where sufficient flow existed. There were only isolated instances where zero flow or low <br />flow conditions precluded obtaining the required samples. <br />There were no excursions of NPDES effluent limits during the 2004 Water Year. No significant <br />anomalies were noted with respect to surface water quality as compazed to data collected from <br />the 2003 Water Year. <br />SCC indicates in the Ground Water Oualiri Summary on pages 10 and I 1 of the AHR that in the <br />azea surrounding Seneca II, ground water is not being pumped for imgation or livestock watering <br />purposes, and that domestic wells that provide drinking water for local residents aze not from <br />aquifers impacted by mining. This should be verified and substantiated through a ground water <br />point of compliance analysis and implementation as required by Rule 4.05.13(1). As described <br />in Regulation No. 41 "The Basic Standazds for Ground Water", ground water may be assigned <br />more than one class because it may have more than one existing or potential use. The point of <br />compliance analysis needs to consider both existing and potential future uses. Based on review <br />of baseline and other AHR data and using the "Interim Narrative Standard" approach it appears <br />that at a minimum, "Potentially Usable Quality" may apply to ground water within the Seneca II <br />Office of Office of Colorado <br />Mined Land Reclamation Active and Inactive Mines Geoloeiral Survey <br />