2009-01-26_REPORT - C1981033 (2)

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STATE OF COLORADO DIVISION OF RECLAMATION, MINING AND SAFETY Department of Natural Resources 1313 Sherman St., Room 215 Denver, Colorado 80203 COLORADO L O R A D O Phone: (303) 866-3567 t v 1 s t o N o f FAX: (303) 832-8106 MINING January 26, 2009 SAFETY Mr. Daniel E. Bear Bill Ritter, Jr. Governor Bear Coal Company Harris D. Sherman P.O. Box 1754 Executive Director Paonia, Colorado 81428 Ronald W. Cattany Division Director Natural Resource Trustee RE: Bear No. 3 Mine, Permit No. C-81-033, Bear Coal Company 2007 Annual Hydrology Report, Adequacy Review Dear Mr. Bear: The Colorado Division of Reclamation, Mining and Safety (Division) has finished its adequacy review of the Bear No. 3 Mine 2007 Annual Hydrology Report (AHR) submitted by the Bear Coal Company (BCC). The Division has only one request. Please provide revised AHR pages that list the method of analysis (total, total dissolved, total recoverable etc.) for each of the chemical constituents sampled in the report. The list of sampling parameters and the sampling frequencies that are required through the permit application package were followed. In general, the hydrologic data were consistent with data presented in AHRs of previous years. The higher than normal readings of total dissolved solids (TDS) and dissolved iron for the North Fork of the Gunnison River presented in the 2006 AHR did not continue in 2007. There was no evidence of a trend in any degradation of water quality of the river, although there was a higher than usual reading of 0.05 mg/1 for cadmium on August 7, 2007. Future AHRs may reveal if this is part of a trend. The sampling results for TDS were very close to that predicted in the probable hydrologic consequences section of the permit application package. The difference in conductivity between the upgradient alluvial well AA-3 and the downgradient alluvial well AA-1 was not as pronounced as had been in previous AHRs. Full suite sampling for the two alluvial wells was made in June since enough well water was available. The concentrations of most of the chemical constituents in AA-1 were higher than those in AA-3, as would be expected since AA-1 is located at the former coal stockpile area and is on the downgradient side of the mine facilities. No exceedances were noted in the pond discharges. Starting with the 2007 AHR, the hillside spring was sampled for water quality. The hillside spring water treatment pond reduced the iron concentrations found in the hillside spring water, although the TDS increased by the time the water was discharged from the pond. Office of Office of Mined Land Reclamation Denver • Grand Junction • Durango Active and Inactive Mines