2009-03-27_HYDROLOGY - C1996083

• Permit No: C1996083
• IBM Index Class Name: HYDROLOGY
• Doc Date: 3/27/2009
• Doc Name: Memo Regarding Meeting about Groundwater Issues and Proposed Mine Plan Expansion
• From: Mike Boulay
• To: Sandy Brown
• Permit Index Doc Type: Correspondence
• Email Name: SB1
• Media Type: D
• Archive: No

STATE OF COLORADO
DIVISION OF RECLAMATION, MINING AND SAFETY
Department of Natural Resources
1313 Sherman SL, Room 215
Denver, Colorado 80203 CO L O RA D O

Phone: [phone] D I V I S I O N O F
RECLAMATION
FAX: [phone] MINING

SAFETY
Bill Ritter, Jr.
Governor
INTEROFFICE MEMORANDUM Harris D. Sherman
Executive Director
Ronald W. Cattany
TO: Sandy Brown Division Director
Natural Resource Trustee
FROM: Mike Boulay AS
S
DATE: March 27, 2009
SUBJECT: Bowie No. 2 Mine Permit No. C-1996-083
Summary of Meeting with Bowie Resources, LLC
Regarding Groundwater Issues and Proposed Mine Plan Expansion
The purpose of this memo is to update you on the meeting that was held on March 26, 2009 at Jim
Stover's office here in Grand Junction with Bowie Resources, LLC (Bowie) regarding groundwater
issues associated with Bowie's new proposal to expand mining to the west of the existing Bowie No.
2 Mine workings. Attending the meeting were Art Etter Bowie and Jim Stover J.E. Stover &
Associates, Inc., Joe Dudash DRMS via teleconference, and myself.
To begin Bowie displayed a map for discussion showing the proposed expansion in the B-Seam
which would be located across Terror Creek at a location west of Bowie No. 2 and northeast of the
existing workings at Bowie No. 1. Bowie was mainly interested in getting input from DRMS on
how they should proceed with groundwater data collection, monitoring, and points of compliance.
The same issues that we had to resolve with PR-10 and PR-11 apply to this mine plan scenario.
With regard to baseline data collection we agreed that since they will be drilling several exploration
holes in the new area we should go ahead and attempt to complete at least two wells; one in the coal
seam and one above the coal seam in either the upper or lower perched aquifer(s) if encountered
during drilling. No additional baseline data will be required from the Rollins sandstone below the
lowest coal seam to be mined. We have made the determination during the PR-10 and PR-11
reviews that Bowie successfully demonstrated no potential for impact to the underlying Rollins
Sandstone aquifer. Because the Rollins Sandstone is aerially extensive and homogeneous we will
assume that the same hydrogeologic conditions exist here beneath the B-Seam (low permeability
units separating the B-Seam and the Rollins and significant head differential in the Rollins versus
overlying strata). The Rollins Sandstone is a confined aquifer under piezometric head and will not
be impacted by the mine workings because of its hydraulic isolation. However, Bowie agreed that if
they drill exploration holes to depths below the lowest coal seam to be mined then they would collect
the geologic and stratigraphic information to further verify this conclusion.
Office of Office of
Mined Land Reclamation Denver • Grand Junction • Durango Active and Inactive Mines