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<br />drainage sizes for Goodspring, Taylor or Wilson Creeks. The <br />proposed mine plan projects 3,810 acres of disturbance during the <br />life of mine. As of the fall of 1991, approximately 503 acres of <br />disturbed land in the East Pit and Section 11 Pit had been <br />reclaimed. <br />Runoff in the permit area, which is diverted or detained, will <br />continue to reach the historic drainages. A portion of the water <br />rights held by Colowyo on Goodspring Creek may be consumed in <br />accordance with the augmentation plan discussed in Exhibit 7 of the <br />permit application. <br />The increased infiltration of surface waters is not expected to <br />recharge the ground water system. The applicant indicates that the <br />increased soil water resulting from increased infiltration rates <br />and increased moisture-holding capacity will be consumed by <br />increased evapotranspiration. The net result is that water is <br />rarely, if ever, given the opportunity to percolate into subsurface <br />material. <br />Potential Effects on Surface Water Ouality <br />General Area <br />Information in the permit application and the 1982 Findings <br />Document indicates that surface water quality in the general area <br />is extremely variable. No adverse impacts from mining operations <br />were projected and none have been observed to date. <br />Permit Area <br />The Division's 1982 Findings Document predicted that no significant <br />impacts on surface water quality in or adjacent to the permit area <br />due to mining operations would occur. Water quality in and near <br />the permit area is highly variable, changing in response to <br />seasonal trends and precipitation events. Surface water monitoring <br />data from the operator's monitoring program and observations by the <br />Division over the past ten years have confirmed the prediction of <br />no significant impacts to surface water quality to date. <br />Surface water runoff from all disturbance within the permit area <br />passes through one of six existing or two proposed sedimentation <br />ponds. Discharges from these ponds are subject to effluent limits <br />in the mine's NPDES permit. The existing ponds have performed <br />adequately and no discharges in excess of effluent limits have been <br />reported to date. <br />Potential Effects on Ground Water <br />Bedrock Ground Water <br />The mine's operations have affected and will affect, with the <br />proposed expanded operations, one formation, the Williams Fork <br />_21_ <br />