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• INTRODUCTION <br />The Colorado Yampa Coal Company (CYCC) Mine No. 3 (Permit No. C-84-062) is located approximately 25 <br />miles southwest of Steamboat Springs, Colorado in Twentymile Park (Figure 1). CYCC was primarily a surface <br />coal mining operation with limited underground mining. The surface mine, active between 1974 and 1980, was <br />called Mine No. 3. The underground operation, known as the Middle Creek Mine, was faced-up in a Mine No. 3 <br />highwall. Underground operations began May 16, 1979, but the mine was abandoned on June 5, 1980 due to <br />adverse mining conditions. No significant amounts of coal were extracted by the underground operation. The <br />Wadge coal seam was extracted at both mines. There is currently no active mining in this area; in total <br />approximately 350 acres were disturbed and reclaimed. <br />Mine 3 straddles the confluence of Middle and Foidel Creeks. A small portion of Mine No. 3 drains into Fish <br />Creek; however, bond has been released for this area. All potential impacts related to Fish Creek are discussed <br />in the Annual Hydrologic Report (AHR) for the Foidel Creek Mine (Permit No. C-82-056). The Mine No. 3 <br />area has been backfilled, regraded, and revegetated. An administrative facility located in the Mine No. 3 area is <br />still used by CYCC and the Trout Creek Ranch. Routt County Road #33 runs through the site. <br />Hydrologic monitoring was initiated in the area during 1975. This report summarizes the hydrologic monitoring <br />conducted for the 1996 Water Year (October 1, 1995 though September 30, 1996). Previous years monitoring <br />• data are presented in prior Annual Hydrologic Reports. Period of record statistical summaries of data are <br />included in this report. The CYCC Mine No. 3 hydrologic monitoring program and the following discussions are <br />divided into four parts: I) ground water, 2) surface water, 3) spoil springs, and 4) NPDES discharge sites. <br />Monitoring site locations and elevations are shown on Figure 2. Required monitoring frequencies are presented <br />on Table 1; associated parameter lists are shown on Tables 2 and 3. The 1996 Water Year data collected at <br />each monitoring site is presented on Tables 4 through 15. Values presented in these tables which are noted to <br />fall outside of previously established ranges are denoted with bordered cells and bold, italicized print. Table l6 <br />presents mean flow rate data from monitored stations for the 1996 Irrigation Period (June -September) and <br />historical and water year maximum and minimum flows for the surface water and NPDES discharge sites <br />monitored at Mine 3. Table 17 presents 1996 Water Year data collected during the annual spring survey. <br />Statistical summaries of each site's period of record data set for monitored water quality parameters are <br />presented on Tables 4A through 15A. Statistical summaries of each site's period of record data set for monitored <br />flows or water levels as applicable are presented on Tables 4B through 15B. Figures 1 through 28 provide <br />graphical representations of selected data. <br />Since mid-1987 hydrologic monitoring has been conducted primarily by Cyprus personnel with water quality <br />analyses primarily performed by ACZ Laboratories (formerly BookclifTs) of Steamboat Springs, Colorado. <br />Prior to June, 1986 some water quality analyses were performed by the CYCC laboratory. Two surface water <br />• sites (09243700 and 09243900) addressed in this report are monitored for flow by the US Geologic Survey <br />-I- <br />