2009-01-26_REPORT - C1981033 (3)

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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 Phone: (303) 866-3567 FAX: (303) 832-8106 January 26, 2009 Mr. Daniel E. Bear Bear Coal Company P.O. Box 1754 Paonia, Colorado 81428 RE: Bear No. 3 Mine, Permit No. C-81-033, Bear Coal Company 2006 Annual Hydrology Report, Adequacy Review Dear Mr. Bear: COLORADO D I V I S ION O F RECLAMATION MINING SAFETY Bill Ritter, Jr. Governor Harris D. Sherman Executive Director Ronald W. Cattany Division Director Natural Resource Trustee The Colorado Division of Reclamation, Mining and Safety (Division) has finished its adequacy review of the Bear No. 3 Mine 2006 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 2006 AHR followed the required sampling parameters and sampling frequencies list. The results of the hydrologic monitoring program were generally consistent with data presented in previous AHRs. There was a higher than usual reading of 6 mg/l for dissolved iron on August 22, 2006 for the downstream station on the North Fork of the Gunnison River. Total dissolved solids also showed higher readings than usual for both the upstream and downstream stations. Future AHRs will reveal whether or not these trends continue. Nothing in the field or laboratory sampling results indicated a trend in any degradation of water quality in the North Fork of the Gunnison River. The effect of the mine on the total dissolved solids in the river water closely resembled the predicted effect in the Probable Hydrologic Consequences. There seemed to be a slightly larger difference in conductivity between the upgradient alluvial well AA-3 and the downgradient alluvial well AA-1 than in the previous year but less of a difference than in the years immediately prior to 2005. Since the sampling of the two alluvial wells for the full suite analyses was made during the fourth quarter, not enough water was available. Future sampling of the alluvial wells will take place during the summer so well water should be available for full suite analyses. There were no water quality exceedances in the pond discharges. If you have any questions, please let me know. H Sincerel , t os h J. dash Environm ntal Protection Specialist cc: Jim Stover (J.E. Stover & Associates) Bill Bear (Bowie Resources LLC) c:\word\bear3\2006ahradeq 1 Office Office of of Mined Land Reclamation Denver • Grand Junction • Durango Active and Inactive Mines