2009-04-29_REPORT - C1981035 ‎(5)‎

• Permit No: C1981035
• IBM Index Class Name: REPORT
• Doc Date: 4/29/2009
• Doc Name: 2008 AHR Review Letter
• From: DRMS
• To: National King Coal, LLC
• Annual Report Year: 2008
• Permit Index Doc Type: Hydrology Report
• Email Name: TAK
• Media Type: D
• Archive: No

Requirement
Require-
meat
citation Require-
ment
complied
with ?
(yes /
no)

Comment
The following two aquifers are the most likely to be affected by
mining at King: the Hay Gulch alluvium and the Cliffhouse
Sandstone. The Hay Gulch alluvium is monitored downgradient
from the King I Mine in the Wiltze well, downstream from the west
sediment pond. The Hay Gulch alluvium is monitored
downgradient from the King II Mine in the mine's downgradient
well. Historical data indicate compliance with the Basic Standards
for ground water in this aquifer if a compliance point were
established at either of the two downgradient wells.
Although ground water impacts to the Cliffhouse Sandstone are
not expected, compliance with the basic ground water standards in
this aquifer is not known because the Cliffhouse is not monitored.
Impacts to the Cliffhouse are not expected, however, due to the dry
conditions of the King I Mine and expected dry conditions of the
King H Mine. It seems unlikely that either mine will significantly
fill with water after mining ceases. The workings of the King I
Mine have been dry (with the exception of a short time in early
1986) and drillholes in the overburden have been dry. (Water for
the mine's dust and fire control is pumped from an alluvial well
and an old well of unknown depth.) A ground water point of
T
Basic CWQCC compliance in the Cliffhouse Sandstone is not warranted because
.
Standards regulation the King operation lacks the potential to negatively impact this unit.
for Ground s yes A regional aquifer about 250 ft. stratigraphically below the mine
Water 41.4 and workings, the Point Lookout Sandstone, was monitored between
41.5 late 2000 and early 2007 in the Haugen well about 5,000 ft.
downgradient from the workings. Data show no impacts to the
ground water in the Haugen well from mining at King. (The
Haugen well has not been sampled since 2007 due to lack of
access. The missing data does not impair the assessment of
hydrologic impacts. Elimination of this well from the monitoring
plan would require a Technical Revision to the permit application
that demonstrates the well is not needed for evaluating hydrologic
impacts.)
The Point Lookout Sandstone is unlikely to be in hydraulic
communication with the overlying King Mine workings through
intergranular porosity due to impermeable shale and siltstone in the
intervening Menefee Formation. Communicatiron through
fractures or faults could occur if the mine workings flooded to a
level that produces enough head to overcome the potentiometric
head of native ground water in the faults and fractures. As
previously explained, it seems unlikely the King I and H Mine will
significantly fill with water during mining or after mining ceases.
A ground water point of compliance in the Point Lookout
Sandstone is not warranted because the King operation lacks the
potential to negatively impact this unit.
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