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Subsidence Field Observations <br />West Elk Mine <br />August 28 and 29, 2001 <br />• The topography indicates the presence of unstable slopes on either side of the reservoir <br />and the dam. <br />• Movement has locally occurred in the toe area of the slide over the last four years, and <br />also over many decades and perhaps centuries (see video and page 9 of October 7, 1999 <br />report to MCC). <br />1 • No recent landslide features (cracks, steps or bulges) were observed on this foot traverse, <br />except as recorded at Location 1 1. <br />• There has been no mining within the area limits defined by the most conservative angle of <br />the draw of the reservoir. The southern boundary of longwall panel 13-A is 1,000 feet or <br />more north of the northern shoreline of the reservoir. <br />• The minimum draw angle (or limit angle, tom a vertical reference), which defines the <br />limit of subsidence at the surface in relation to a given mining panel depth, is calculated <br />to be 55 degrees (Draw Angle =Arc Tangent of 1,000/700 = 55 degrees). <br />• The draw angles measured in the Somerset mining area range from 8 to 21 degrees. The <br />most conservative draw angle used in the West Elk Mining area that has been used during <br />the permitting stage is 25 degrees (see pages K-16-17 of the Final Environmental Impact <br />Statement or the Iron Point and Elk Creek Coal Lease Tracts dated February 2000). <br />1 3.2.11 Location 11 <br />Location l 1 is at Location 12 of the 1999 subsidence evaluation report. It is located on the toe of <br />a landslide that was re-activated in the last four years. <br />• The cracks that were as much as 1'h feet wide and fresh looking in 1999 are now filled <br />and are only locally discernible (compare 1999 and 2001 videos). <br />• Steps, representing differential vertical displacement during downhill movement, are still <br />locally discernable, but subdued. <br />1 <br />831-032.560 Wright Water Engineers, Inc. Page 14 <br />September 2001 <br />