2008-06-27_REPORT - C1980007 (4)

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West Elk Mine 2007 Annual Hydrology Report 13 • 3.1.3 Minnesota Creek Drainage Basin Surface Water Monitoring Stations 3.1.3.1 Lick Creek Flume Lick Creek is an ephemeral stream that is tributary to upper Minnesota Creek and flows only in response to storm events and spring runoff. Lick Creek drains the southern part of the un-mined South of the Divide (SOD) coal lease area (Map 2). The Lick Creek Flume monitoring station was established in 1977 when MCC was planning to develop this tract and consists of an 18-inch Parshall flume and a data logger. The site was also established as part of the Minnesota Creek Water Augmentation Plan (WWE, 1986). 3.1.3.2 Da Fork Flumes (Upper. Middle, and Lowerj Dry Fork is an intermittent stream that is tributary to middle Minnesota Creek. The Dry Fork drainage drains the northern portion of the un-mined SOD coal lease area and the area south of the SE mine panels area adjacent to mine Panels 12, 13, and 17 (Map 2). The three monitoring stations in Dry Fork: Upper Dry Fork Flume, Middle Dry Fork Flume and Lower Dry Fork Flume, were established to monitor the effects of mining along the drainage and to support the Minnesota Creek Augmentation Plan. All three of these sites have 30-inch Parshall flumes and data loggers. • In October 2005 the monitoring station at Upper Dry Fork Flume was relocated upstream to replace the previous site flooded by a beaver dam. MCC initiated new monthly baseline monitoring of this site in WY2006 and routine monitoring (three times per year) began in WY 2007. The Lower Dry Fork Flume was replaced in its same location in October 2006 (WY 2007). A flume and data logger were also installed in October 2006 just upstream from and above the high water line of Minnesota Reservoir (see section 3.1.4.2: Minnesota Reservoir Flume). 3.1.3.3 Poison Gulch Poison Gulch is an ephemeral stream that is tributary to the Dry Fork and only flows in response to storm events and spring runoff. Poison Gulch flows into the Dry Fork between the Middle and Upper Dry Fork monitoring stations. Poison Gulch is located in the SOD area. The Poison Gulch monitoring station was established as a new monitoring location in the spring of 2005 and does not have a flume or data logger (Map 2). Baseline monthly monitoring of Poison Gulch began in May 2005 and included measuring flow, collecting field water quality data, and collecting samples for laboratory water quality analyses from May through October 2005. Routine monitoring (three times per year) of Poison Gulch began in WY 2006. • June 2008 HydroGeo, Inc.