2009-07-01_REPORT - C1980007 (6)

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West Elk Mine 2008 Annual Hydrology Report 70 In WY 2008 the West Elk Mine hydrologic monitoring program was conducted in accordance with all permit commitments. The data collected in WY 2008 from sites in the current monitoring program were adequate to assess potential mine-induced impacts to the area's hydrologic system, with the exception of eight permanently damaged monitoring wells (SOM-45-H-1 (Sept. 2002), SOM-2-H (Jul. 1999), SOM-16-H (Sep. 2000), 96-27-1 (Apr. 2002), SO.W-1 (Jun. 2002), SOM- 23-H-1 (Aug. 2006), SOM 13 (Jun. 2007), and SOM 23-H-2 (obstructed, August 2008). As a result of damage to these wells or other reasons stated above, no water quality or water level data were collected from these eight wells in WY 2008. Additionally, the water quality and water level data were compromised and are not valid for WY 2008 in Well SOM-129-H, because the well casing was damaged at some point prior to the site visit on May 9, 2008 and runoff and precipitation water and sediments from the drainage ditch along the road flowed freely into the well. The casing on SOM-129-H was repaired by MCC before the site visit on June 6, 2008. As noted in previous annual hydrology reports, the flow data collected from the Upper Deep Creek and Lower Deep Creek surface water monitoring stations in WY 2006 and previous years are not reliable, due to naturally occurring erosion and sediment deposition resulting in continuously changing stream bed characteristics and the lack of a flume. Pressure transducers and data loggers • were installed in the open stream channels at the Deep Creek stations. Control channel sections were established at each site in 1996; however, flumes were not installed at these locations in order to limit impacts based on U.S. Forest Service concerns. The Deep Creek stream channel is very dynamic and has changed considerably since the monitoring sites were established. As a result of erosion and sediment deposition, the control channels used to calibrate the pressure transducers and gauge the stream flows are constantly changing and the flow data collected for Deep Creek in WY 2002 (HydroGeo, 2003), WY 2003 (HydroGeo, 2004), WY 2004 (HydroGeo, 2005), WY 2005 (HydroGeo, 2006), and WY 2006 (HydroGeo, 2007) are not considered reliable. The Upper and Lower Deep Creek stream station flows are currently being monitored on a three times per year basis during regular rising limb, peak flow, and low flow monitoring visits. During WY 2008 MCC reported four permit exceedances at Outfall 007A and five exceedances at Outfall 017A (MCC, 2009). MCC notified the WQCD of the exceedances at a meeting on August 21, 2008. MCC stopped discharging from Outfall 017A on July 17, 2008. The five permit exceedances occurred at Outfall 017A during the third quarter of WY 2008, prior to cessation of discharge at Outfall 017A. June 2009 HydroGeo, Inc.