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West Elk Mine
<br />• were selected based on spring surveys completed by WWE (1997 and 2005). The proposed
<br />spring monitoring stations were also selected based on long term continuous flow data records
<br />and on locations relative to mine development plans. Details of the hydrologic monitoring plan
<br />are presented in Exhibit 71. Exhibit 71 adds Deer Creek Spring, WCC-24, J-2 (Lick Creek), and J-
<br />7 (Poison Gulch), 96-2-2 Spring, Deep Creek Spring No. 2, and Deep Creek Trail Spring.
<br />Monitoring of a group of three springs (G-25, G-28a and G-31) in Gribble Gulch and one spring
<br />(G-26a) in Lone Pine Gulch were discontinued for several years due to access being blocked by
<br />landslides. The monitoring of spring G-26a in Lone Pine Gulch, spring G-25 (#15, Jumbo Spring
<br />No. 2 Pond) and spring G-31 (#18, Jumbo Mountain Spring No. 4 Pond) were resumed in 1993.
<br />Spring G-28a was not located during the Jumbo Mountain field investigations, but was found to
<br />again be flowing in 1994, and monitoring was resumed. Fourteen springs and/or ponds identified
<br />on the Jumbo Mountain tract (Map 34) were monitored for baseline data and were all monitored
<br />during and after mining in the area. The number of sites monitored in the Jumbo Mountain area
<br />was reduced in 1999. Spring G-29 was found, but the spring no longer exists (i.e., no flow), and
<br />was not added to the monitoring program.
<br />MCC conducted baseline monitoring of four perennial springs (Springs 15-1, 15-2, 26-1, and 27-
<br />1) and eight ephemeral springs (E10-1, E10-2, E10-3, E10-4, E14-1, E15-3, G-7 and G-8) within
<br />the Apache Rocks permit revision area. These springs, (except G-7 and G-8) were identified
<br />during a field survey completed by MCC's consultants, Savage and Savage, and Greystone
<br />Development Consultants, Inc. during the fall of 1994 and 1995. None of the other ephemeral
<br />• springs shown on Map 37 in Sections 26, 27, and 28 were located during these surveys. Only a
<br />representative group of springs, based on the baseline data collected, were added to the
<br />monitoring program as presented in Exhibit 71.
<br />MCC has been monitoring spring 24-3 since 1998 and collected data from ephemeral springs E-13-
<br />1, 2, 3, and 4 starting in 2002. These springs are located in or near the Box Canyon permit revision
<br />area.
<br />Of the 50 springs in the South of Divide permit area, eighteen have been historically monitored.
<br />MCC will re-initialize monitoring of selected springs known to be flowing at least one year prior
<br />to the occurrence of mining within the area influence. The monitoring plan for the WEM,
<br />including the SOD and Dry Fork areas is presented in Exhibit 71.
<br />Spring Qualitv
<br />The springs included in the current monitoring plan are presented in Exhibit 71. MCC has
<br />selected the water quality parameters in Table I1 for seasonal baseline measurement to
<br />characterize the water. As with stream water quality, mining -related changes in water quality
<br />that are known to mobilize metals would cause iron or manganese to be released in readily
<br />detectable quantities, and changes in conductivity and TDS will indicate changes in water quality
<br />that need be further investigated. As a result, monitoring of these selected parameters w111
<br />provide a reasonable basis for detecting mining-induced changes in spring water quality.
<br />• Therefore, once full-suite analyses have been collected at a site for at least five years, these
<br />indicator parameters (pH, conductivity, TDS, TSS, and iron) will be collected on an annual basis.
<br />2.04-90 Revised :'N'ovember 2004 PRIG, March 2006; Rer. April 2006 PRIO; Rev. May 2006 PRIO; Sep. 2007 PRI2; Feb. 2008 PRI2
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