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~T~ i <br />6. The McClane permit document indicates that since the proposed mine is located above <br />the alluvial fills no direct disturbance of the alluvial aquifer will result from the actual <br />mining operation. The AHR indicates that the effect that the mine has on the <br />groundwater hydrology has not been detected. However, mine water is discharged to <br />McClane Creek at outfall 002, which then discharges to East Salt Creek. Because <br />McClane Creek is ephemeral and East Salt Creek is either intermittent or ephemeral, at <br />least the potential exists that the mine discharge could be tributary and at some point <br />impact the East Salt Creek alluvium. This combined with the fact) that there has been <br />some question in the past about possible irrigation return flows affecting the quality of <br />data from wells located in the vicinity of the mouth of Munger Canyon, may indicate that <br />an additional monitoring well would be useful. One additional welllmay be warranted <br />in the East Salt Creek alluvium just below McClane Canyon outside of the influence <br />of the irrigated hay field. This well located below the McClane Canyon mine <br />discharge will aid in identifying the effect if any the mine has on the groundwater <br />hydrology of the East Salt Creek alluvium. <br />7. In January 200b, the Division received Technical Revision No. 20 for the Munger Canyon <br />Mine, in which the operator is requesting approval to seal several of the alluvial wells that <br />aze not currently being monitored. Specifically the application requests sealing wells <br />GW-2, GW-4, GW-7, and GW-8. The Division has reviewed the proposal in conjunction <br />with this AHR review and concurs with the sealing of these wells with exception of GW- <br />7. If access or right-of--entry is not an issue for GW-7, then the Division <br />recommends that this well be retained for future monitoring. GW-7 is located more <br />than a mile down gradient of Munger Canyon and depending on'~the completion of <br />this well, it may serve as a groundwater point of compliance and be used for future <br />bond release demonstrations. The Division concurs with permanent sealing of wells <br />GW-2, GW-4, and GW-8 in accordance with Rule 4.07.3. <br />8. During this AHR review records at the State Engineers Office were reviiewed. Three well <br />permits were identified within a two mile radius of Munger and McClane Mines; one is <br />located in Section 21 for the diversion of groundwater for the McClane Canyon Mine <br />(permit no. 32752), permit no. 254049 was in Section 31 for a domestic use well that has <br />since been abandoned, and permit no. 256862 is an existing alluvial well in Section 29 <br />permitted for domestic use. As a result of this review the Division requests that <br />Section 4.2.5 of the McClane permit be modified to include this information. Page <br />4-18 states that no wells are registered with the Colorado Division of Water <br />Resources within two miles of the permit area. Please revise ~ he water rights <br />discussion on page 4-18 accordingly. <br />On page 2-44 of the permit, it is stated, "there are no adjudicated gi oundwater rights <br />within more than two miles of the proposed permit azea". The Division concurs, however <br />this does not exclude the operator from groundwater quality protection Since there is a <br />domestic use well within relatively close proximity to the mining activity and located in <br />the East Salt Creek alluvium, "Domestic Use -Quality" classification of the Basic <br />Standards For Ground Water may apply to the specified area of the mining activity and <br />East Salt Creek alluvium. I <br />I 4 <br />