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West Elk Mine 2006 Annual Hydrology Report 11 <br />3.1.1 Upper North Fork Drainage Basin Surface Water Monitoring Stations <br />3.1.1.1 Deep Creek <br />Deep Creek is a perennial stream drainage that drains the Box Canyon mine panel area and the east <br />side of the SOD and West Flatiron areas. The Upper Deep Creek monitoring station is located up- <br />gradient of the Box Canyon mine panel area (mine panels 14 - 17 and 22 - 24) and the West <br />Flatiron area. The Lower Deep Creek monitoring station is located down-gradient of the SOD area <br />and is directly east of the Box Canyon panels (Map 2). The flow monitoring at the Deep Creek <br />monitoring sites was changed from continuous flow recording to instantaneous recording three <br />times a year in 2006. This change was made for two reasons: mining in this area is nearly <br />complete and the Deep Creek stream channel is highly variable, resulting in continuous flow data <br />that are unreliable and that do not represent actual conditions. <br />3.1.1.2 Raven Gulch <br />Raven Gulch is a perennial stream that drains the east side of the West Flatiron Tract. The Upper <br />Raven Gulch monitoring station was established in 2005, and is located upstream from the <br />confluence with the West Flatiron drainage. The Lower Raven Gulch monitoring station was also <br />established as a new site in 2005 and is located at the mouth of Raven Gulch near its confluence <br />with the North Fork of the Gunnison River. The locations of these monitoring sites are depicted on <br />Map 2. Routine monitoring of the Upper and Lower Raven Gulch monitoring stations began in <br />May 2005. <br />3.1.1.3 Box Canes <br />Box Canyon is an ephemeral stream drainage. The upper reach of the drainage is typically dry and <br />the lower reach of the drainage only flows during storm events and during the spring months in <br />above average precipitation years. The Box Canyon monitoring station is located at the mouth of <br />the drainage and was established to monitor the area down-gradient of the Box Canyon panel area <br />(Map 2). <br />3.1.1.4 North Fork Upper <br />The North Fork of the Gunnison River is a major perennial stream that drains the northern mine <br />area. The North Fork Upper monitoring station is located up-gradient of the mine facilities area <br />and up-gradient of the mine discharge points. The underground mine water discharge flows into <br />Sylvester Gulch then into the North Fork. The mine surface water runoff is treated and routed to <br />December 2007 HydroGeo, Inc. <br />