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Fina] West 81k Mine 2005 Annual Hydrology Report 41 <br />• with the exception of adding five new surface monitoring stations (Section 3.1), four new spring <br />monitoring stations (Section 3.2), and four new monitoring wells (Section 3.3). <br />MCC revised the comprehensive hydrologic monitoring plan as part of the South of the Divide <br />Permit Revision 10 (PR-10) Application (MCC, 2006b). The changes to the monitoring plan were <br />made in anticipation of future mine development in the South of the Divide and West Flatiron <br />areas. The new hydrologic monitoring plan includes new surface and ground water monitoring <br />sites along with baseline monitoring. The new monitoring program considers future mining plans, <br />mine development progress, and the mine's surface water augmentation plan. <br />6.1 Mining Related Hydrologic Impacts <br />Since 1944, there have been no mining related hydrologic impacts reported in surface water or <br />spring resources in the western Project Area, specifically the Gribble Gulch area (WWE, 2001, <br />HydroGeo, 2002, HydroGeo 2003, HydroGeo, 2004, and HydroGeo, 2005). Gribble Gulch was <br />undermined from 1995 to 1997, therefore, future mining related hydrologic impacts in this area are <br />not anticipated. <br />In WY 2005 the West Elk Mine hydrologic monitoring program was conducted in accordance with <br />• all permit and contractual stipulations. The data collected were adequate to assess potential <br />Project-induced impacts to the area's hydrologic system, with the exception of data collected at <br />three surface water stream stations and five monitoring wells. <br />The data collected from the Upper Deep Creek, Lower Deep Creek, and Upper Dry Fork surface <br />water monitoring stations in WY 2005 are not reliable, due to naturally occurring erosion and <br />sediment deposition resulting in continuously changing stream bed characteristics. Pressure <br />transducers and data loggers were installed in the open stream channels at the Deep Creek stations. <br />Control channel sections were established at each site in 1996, however flumes were not installed <br />at these locations in order to limit impacts based on U.S. Forest Service concerns. The Deep Creek <br />stream channel is very dynamic and has changed considerably since the sites were established. As <br />a result of erosion and sediment deposition, the control channels used to calibrate the pressure <br />transducers and gauge the stream flows aze constantly changing and the flow data collected for <br />Deep Creek in WY 2002 (HydroGeo, 2003), WY 2003 (HydroGeo, 2004), WY 2004 (HydroGeo, <br />2005), and WY 2005 are not considered reliable. The data and graphs presented in this report were <br />developed using a rating curve developed from recent channel geometries but the raw data for these <br />stations remains suspect. <br />September 2006 HydioGeq InC. <br />