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meter is utilized to determine the total amount of water pumped from this well. The operator has well permit number 42266iF for this well. The well permit provides for a pumping rate of 100 gallons per minute and an average annual consumption of 40 acre feet. No record is kept of the water which is pumped from the North Fork of the Gunnison River to the onsite well. The onsite well is used to 1) supply water to the underground mine; 2) supply shower water to the office bathhouse; 3) ~Iupply water to the maintenance shop for washdown water and water fQr the water truck for surface road dust suppression. The flow meter) only measures total consumptive use. The operator estimates the volume of water used for each of the categories listed above based on historic use values. Beginning in June of 1995, the Bear #3 Mine began to notice a measurable amount of water building behind seals in the 3rd West i Section. The source of this water is unknown since during development of 3rd West no measurable water was encountered. However, the operator suspects that the source of this iwater originates in an abandoned area in the adjacent West Elk Mine. This mine inflow is averaging approximately 18 gpm and is currently being consumed during the normal mining process. However, n the event that mine inflow becomes unmanageable, the operatorr has i applied and since received a Discharge Permit from the State of Colorado. See Appendix E for mine water quality. A map depicting the area of the inflow is enclosed with this submittal in Appendix C. The operator was able to consumptively use the water which flowed into the mine during the year. The consumptive use figures presented above show the amount of water pumped from the onsite well was dramatically lower during the second half of thelyear which reflects the use of mine inflow water. No Ovate was discharged from the mine during the year. a