2008-03-31_PERMIT FILE - C1980007A (34)

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West Elk Mine 0 2.04.7(2) Surface Water Information This section describes the surface water resources located in or near the permit area. A more detailed discussion of the surface water resources in the SOD and Dry Fork areas is presented in Exhibit 71. The surface water in the permit area is expressed in four ways: 1. Streams 2. Springs 3. Reservoirs and Stock Ponds 4. Wetlands Surface Water Resources Streams Several drainage systems have their headwaters on or flow through the West Elk Mine coal lease area. All of the streams draining the area are tributary to the North Fork of the Gunnison River (North Fork). Sylvester Gulch, Lone Pine Gulch, Gfibble Gulch, Box Canyon, and unnamed tributaries are ephemeral streams draining the northern portion of the coal lease area directly into the North Fork. Additionally, a portion of Deep Creek, which joins Raven Gulch before entering the North Fork; overlies the permit area. Minnesota Creek and its tributaries drain the southern portion of the coal lease area, which has been designated as the South of Divide area in reference to the drainage divide separating Minnesota Creek from the North Fork tributaries. Although all watersheds in the permit area are tributary to the North Fork, in this document, a distinction is made between those that drain directly into the North Fork and those which enter Minnesota Creek before reaching the North Fork. A summary of drainage basin characteristics is found in Table 8, which identifies basic physical characteristics of the lease area watersheds. Map 34 and Map 1 of Exhibit 71 delineate the gaged basins within the West Elk Mine coal lease areas. North Fork Drainage Basin The North Fork is the ultimate receiving stream for all drainages on the West Elk Mine coal lease area. The North Fork watershed encompasses significant high-mountain drainages to the east of the mine, which generate the majority of the streamflow measured at the USGS gage near Somerset. The ephemeral streams within 'the pen-nit area provide incidental contributions to the flow in the North Fork. The majority of streams in the pemnit area are ephemeral, flowing only in response to snowinelt or intense rainfall, with the exception of Deep Creek, a perennial stream .vhich crosses the southeast part of the permit area. Physical properties of these drainage basins are sununarized in Table 8. Minnesota Creek Drainage Basin The Minnesota Creek watershed drains most of the southern portion of the coal lease area (see Map 34). The majority of the flow in Minnesota Creek originates from the perem-lial tributaries 2.0¢_78 Revised November 2004 PRIO, March 2006; Rev. April 2006 PRIO; Rev. A4ay 2006 PR10; Sep. 2007 PR12; Feb. 2008 PR12