Laserfiche WebLink
2-45 <br />SW-1 and GW-3 far exceed the Division's 'suspect' levels the Operator compiled <br />i <br />~ data in order to demonstrate mine discharge does not add salinity to the already <br />high values, rather, can only lower the salinity in SW-1 and GW-3 during the <br />irrigation season. By improving the salinity of the waters in East Salt Creek <br />surface waters and the alluvium groundwater, downstream farmers will not suffer <br />loss of production due to the addition of mine discharge. <br />The area where the mine discharge enters East Salt Creek is <br />undeveloped rangeland, (see Section 4.1.2.5). There is an irrigated field in close <br />proximity to the affected area, however, as explained in the prior paragraph, <br />mining and reclamation will not cause material damage to the quality or quantity <br />of water in surface or underground water systems that supply alluvial valley <br />floors. Surface water monitoring is recorded at SW-1 and groundwater <br />monitoring is recorded at GW-3. Monitoring of SW-1 and GW-3 shall be done on <br />a quarterly basis in order to indicate long term trends that could affect agricultural <br />use of the alluvial valley floors. The impact the mine discharge is anticipated to <br />have on East Salt Creek and the alluvial groundwater is presented in Appendix <br />N. <br />Evidence submitted in previous annual hydrologic reports has detailed the <br />existence of a perched aquifer in the graben. The drill holes in Section 22 <br />indicate the coal to the east of the graben is saturated. <br />Mine inflows have steadily increased as the mine workings crossed into <br />the saturated zone east of the graben. The flows have recently ranged from 12.4 <br />to 31.4 gpm from 2003 through 2005. The amount of water consumed in the <br />McClave Volume 1 06/06 <br />