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water inflow (precipitation and irrigation wastewater) to the losses due to evaporation and <br />soil percolation rates at the Pit. The Pit receives seasonal runoff from irrigated lands located <br />upgradient (south and east of the site). The report findings indicate that free standing water <br />may occur in the Pit, with the elevation varying depending upon the time of year (AIC, 1999). <br />The greatest accumulation of surface water occurs in the late spring/early summer months <br />when the Pit receives peak flow from regional snowmelt and irrigation runoff. In addition, the <br />Pit consists of coarse sand and gravel material and accumulation of fine sediment is minimal <br />in the pond. <br />Elam has an on-site groundwater well at the Pit, permitted for industrial and irrigation <br />purposes. The well (46 feet total depth) is located in the northeast corner of the property, <br />near Woody Creek, at a surface elevation of approximately 7,364 feet asl. <br />3.3 SURFACE WATER PROTECTION <br />As discussed in Section 2.5, erosion prevention and sediment control measures will be <br />implemented to mitigate potential impacts to the intermittent drainage found along the east <br />boundary of the proposed Phase 2 expansion area during mining activities. These measures <br />will be tailored to site-specific conditions in order to fit the natural topography and minimize <br />disturbance to native vegetation, and may include the installation of ditches, berms, and/or <br />silt fencing. As mentioned previously, all stormwater runoff is contained onsite and no <br />process water or mine water will be discharged at the Pit. Elam will comply with all terms & <br />conditions of their stormwater permits and SWMPs. <br />Elam has collected several samples of ponded water in lowest portion of the Phase 1 Pit <br />since 2000. The samples were laboratory analyzed for Total Petroleum Hydrocarbons (TPH) <br />by U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Method 418.1, with the results indicating <br />non-detectable levels of petroleum hydrocarbons in all samples. <br />Elam plans to continue monitoring surface water at the Pit to ensure that potential <br />environmental contaminants (e.g., hydrocarbon compounds and metals) have not migrated <br />across the site and impacted water quality. Samples will be collected when surface water is <br />seasonally available, on a monthly basis. Each sample will be submitted to a qualified <br />analytical laboratory. The samples will be collected either by an Elam employee or their <br />Vagneur Pit- WRPP 13 September 1, 2006