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During the preceding permit term (1983-1987) the major additional surface <br />disturbances resulted from work on the Adit/Rock Tunnel, and the current Sutey Coal <br />• Refuse Disposal Area. <br />Water <br />Mid-Continent has designed and constructed water control structures (sediment ponds, <br />diversion ditches, berms, culverts, etc.), and closed water use systems to mitigate <br />adverse impacts on the existing hydrologic balance. <br />Sediment loads within the Coal Basin are naturally high. This is due to the geology <br />(large expanses of exposed Mancos shale), steep terrain and large volumes of runoff <br />generated primarily by snowmelt. <br />The Coal Basin mine plan is designed to minimize the impacts on the surface and <br />ground water of the area. Drainages from all mine disturbed areas are routed through <br />one or more sediment ponds. <br />In the sediment pond series are 30 sediment ponds, 6 Best Available Technology <br />Ponds, and 3 sediment ponds approved but not yet constructed, with a total capacity of <br />50.84 acre feet. <br />• Reclamation <br />Disturbed Area in the Coal Basin operations totals 332.9 acres. Mid-Continent has <br />established reclamation procedures to establish on all affected lands a diverse, effective <br />and permanent vegetative cover of the same seasonal variety native to the area of <br />disturbed land, or species that support the post-mine land use. <br />When an area is to be disturbed Mid-Continent follows a basic r~rl.amativn plan which <br />is outlined as follows: <br />- All vegetation is cleared and site drainage structures are <br />installed. <br />- Topsoil is removed to apre-determined depth, based <br />on soil studies, and is transported to an approved soils <br />storage area that will not be disturbed during the life of <br />mine operatons. <br />- The topsoil pile is then seeded with an approved <br />temporary seed mix. <br /> <br />15 <br />