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West Elk Mine 2006 Annual Hydrology Report 15 <br />3.1.4.3 South Prong Creek <br />• South Prong Creek is an ephemeral stream that is tributary to upper Minnesota Creek. The north <br />fork of South Prong Creek drains the southern portion of the SOD area. The monitoring station on <br />South Prong Creek is located at the mouth of the drainage (Map 2). Preliminary flow and water <br />quality data were collected at a one time sampling round of this site in 2005 (HydroGeo, 2006). <br />Baseline monitoring is scheduled to resume in 2017, or at least one year prior to when mining <br />begins in the area to monitor potential mining induced impacts. <br />3.2 Spring and Seep Monitoring <br />Currently, there are 33 springs and seeps in the Project's hydrologic monitoring program. MCC <br />added 5 new spring monitoring sites in the SOD (Deer Creek Spring and Pipeline, WCC-24, J-2, J- <br />7, and 35-3) area in WY 2006. The locations of the 5 new monitored springs were selected based <br />on spring surveys completed by WWE (1997 and 2005). The spring monitoring stations were also <br />selected based on long term continuous flow data records and on projected mine development <br />plans. <br />The spring and seep monitoring plan is divided into four general hydrologic categories for <br />• discussion purposes: <br />o Springs and seeps in.the North Fork drainage basin issuing from the strata above the F- <br />Coal Seam. <br />o Springs and seeps in the North Fork drainage basin issuing from strata in or below the F- <br />Coal Seam. <br />o Springs and seeps in the Jumbo Mountain area in the North Fork drainage issuing from <br />strata above the B-Coal Seam. <br />o Springs and seeps in the Dry Fork drainage issuing from strata above the E-Coal Seam. <br />The locations of the spring and seep monitoring stations are shown on Map 2. The following <br />discussion of monitored springs is presented according to the general hydrologic categories <br />described above and is presented from upstream to downstream relative to the Project. A summary <br />of the spring and seep monitoring program details is presented in Table 4. <br /> <br />December 2007 HydroGeo, Inc. <br />