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water supports the critical function of the alluvial valley floor and the Trout Creek waters would not be <br />affected by the proposed operations, material damage to the quality of water supplying the Foidel <br />Creek/Middle Creek Confluence AVF would not occur. <br />3. The proposed operation would preserve, throughout the mining operation, the essential hydrologic <br />functions of the alluvial valley floor. <br />The essential hydrologic functions of the Foidel Creek/Middle Creek Confluence AVF are flood <br />irrigation primarily and, to a lesser extent, sub-irrigation, and both functions would be preserved. <br />Flood irrigation on the Foidel Creek/Middle Creek Confluence AVF is by diversion of unaffected Trout <br />Creek water. Sub-irrigation does not play a major role in maintaining the agricultural productivity of the <br />AVF, but the quality of alluvial ground water would be maintained above the material damage suspect <br />level of 3 mmhos/cm due to the fact that aquifer recharge occurs primarily in the spring and early <br />summer when stream salinity levels are lowest, and the alluvial water would be further diluted by the low <br />salinity Trout Creek irrigation drainage water. <br />Alluvial Valley Floor Monitoring <br />Hydrologic monitoring as discussed in Section 111. A and B of this document will be sufficient to verify <br />projections and monitor effects of mining on the quality and quantity of water supplying the identified <br />alluvial valley floors. Included in this monitoring plan is a monitoring schedule for the Fish Creek AVF <br />to assess for impacts. A surface water and alluvial water site presently exists downstream of all Foidel <br />Creek mining activities on Trout Creek (site 1005 and well 008-AT-1). Surface water monitoring and <br />alluvial monitoring sites are located along both Foidel and Middle Creeks to assess possible impacts due <br />to the undermining of these perennial streams. <br />The Division finds that activities proposed by the applicant will not interrupt, discontinue, or preclude <br />farming on the alluvial valley floors that are irrigated or naturally subirrigated (4.24.3(1)). <br />The proposed activities will not materially damage the quantity or quality of water in the surface or <br />ground water system described above (4.24.3(3) and 2.06.8(5)(a)(ii)). <br />The proposed activities will comply with the requirements of the Act and the Regulations with respect to <br />alluvial valley floors (2.06.8(5)(a)(iii)). <br />Surface coal mining and reclamation operations will be conducted to preserve the essential hydrologic <br />functions of alluvial valley floors outside the permit area and to reestablish the essential hydrologic <br />functions of alluvial valley floors within the affected area throughout the mining and reclamation process <br />(4.24.2). <br />An environmental monitoring system shall be installed, maintained, and operated by the permittee on all <br />alluvial valley floors during surface coal mining and reclamation operations and continued until all <br />bonds are released in accordance with Rule 3 (4.24.4). <br />XIX. Operations on Prime Farmland <br />No prime farmland exists within the permit area. No prime farmland exists in Routt County. Therefore, <br />no specific approvals are granted under this section. <br />35