2009-06-22_GENERAL DOCUMENTS - C1981033 (2)

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adjacent to the North Fork of the Gunnison River, and this has been the case since 1934. This alluvial material does not meet the criteria for designation as an alluvial valley floor. As noted in Bear Coal Company's 1995 Annual Hydrologic Report, beginning in June of 1995, personnel at the Bear No. 3 Mine began to notice a measurable amount of water building behind the seals in the 3rd West Section. The source of this water was undetermined since during development of the 3rd West no measurable water was encountered. In June of 1995, this mine inflow averaged approximately 18 gallons per minute, which was consumed during the normal mining process. During 1996, water reportedly continued to flow from the 3rd West seals. Water also began flowing from the bleeder seals in the 2nd West Section. This additional inflow overcame the mine's ability to consume inflows during normal mining processes. Bear Coal Company found it necessary to discharge mine inflow water to the North Fork of the Gunnison River during 1996. This discharge to the North Fork of the Gunnison River was stopped in the later part of 1996 when mining operations were discontinued at the Bear No. 3 Mine. On November 11, 1996, the Bear Coal Company permanently ceased all mining operations at the Bear No. 3 Mine due to geological conditions encountered in the mine. The three existing portals at the Bear No. 3 Mine were permanently sealed. Discharge pipes were installed to allow for potential drainage from each of the sealed portals. Because the Bear No. 3 Mine has been sealed, no further information is available on mine inflow to the 3rd West Section or any other potential inflow to other areas of the mine. On November 15, 1997, slide activity occurred in an area located immediately west of the Bear No. 3 Mine portals. Debris from the slide flowed onto the old coal stockpile pad and into the North Fork of the Gunnison River below the mine access bridge. On November 17, 1997, Bear personnel noted water flowing from an area to the east of the slide scarp (immediately west of the sealed Edwards Mine Portal). According to recent monitoring reports from the Bear Coal Company and measurements taken by the Division, this spring is continuing to flow at approximately 37 gpm. Of particular interest, the water emanating from this spring has an unusually high temperature for groundwater (originally, 80-85 degrees Fahrenheit but in the last few years has been about 100 degrees Fahrenheit). The water is currently being diverted into a spring water treatment pond and, then, discharged through a pipe into the North Fork of the Gunnison River. The Division is continuing to investigate the origin of this water. Surface Water - Surface water information for the Bear No. 3 Mine is presented in Section 2.04.7, 2.05.3 and 4.05 and Map 10 (Mine Facilities) of the Bear No. 3 Mine permit application. Surface runoff from the undisturbed portions of the Bear No. 3 Mine permit area flows directly into the North Fork of the Gunnison River through small ephemeral drainages. The North Fork of the Gunnison is the primary stream in the drainage basin. No surface discharge of mine water is expected from the Bear No. 3 Mine. Surface runoff from the disturbed areas of the Bear No. 3 Mine is collected by a series of drainage ditches and directed into a sedimentation pond. Effluent from the sedimentation pond is controlled to meet NPDES effluent standards. Bear Coal Company has had problems with the North Fork of the Gunnison River flooding the facilities area at the Bear No. 3 Mine. Flooding problems may have been aggravated by relocation of the river associated with relocation of state Highway 133. Bear Coal Company has installed a flood control berm adjacent to the North Fork of the Gunnison River to control flooding of the facilities area and to mitigate off-site disturbances related to mining. 7