Laserfiche WebLink
West Elk Mine <br />Table 33 <br />Summary of Mountain Coal Company's Water Rights for t West Elk Mi ne <br />Source of Water <br />Water Rights <br />Mt. Gunnison Pipeline <br />15.00 cubic feet per second <br />Tony Bear Pipeline <br />0.9 cubic feet per second <br />Chipmunk Ditch <br />1.0 cubic feet per second <br />Walter Gallob Ditch <br />0.75 cubic feet per second <br />Sedimentation Ponds: <br />MB #1 <br />13.66 acre -feet <br />MB #2 <br />9.61 acre -feet <br />M1343 <br />0.23 acre -feet <br />Freshwater Ponds: <br />FW #1 <br />9.98 acre -feet <br />FW #2 <br />9.98 acre -feet <br />Mt. Gunnison Tunnel <br />0.49 feet per second <br />Notes: 1. These f acilities have not yet been cons <br />Water used at West Elk Mine comes from adjudicated water rights owned by MCC. Table 33 <br />summarizes MCC's rights. The rights are used according to Colorado Water Laws administered by <br />the District No. 4 Water Commissioner. MCC also has available (for use or augmentation) non- <br />tributary water rights and storage water rights for the water generated from the mine and stored in <br />sumps maintained within the underground mine. <br />Raw or untreated water is pumped underground from the freshwater pond (FW -1) by pumps, <br />located in the water treatment plant. The water distribution system at West Elk Mine contains <br />several major components. They include the -aw water intake gallery and pumps, cast or steel <br />utility piping, fresh -water storage pond (FW -1), water treatment plant, mine water pumps, a 1.2 <br />million gallon mine water storage tank, freshwater pump, potable water tank, and fire suppression <br />systems. A second freshwater pond (FW -2) has not yet been built. However, its construction is still <br />considered necessary to meet future storage needs. <br />Water pumped underground is used for dust suppression and to maintain fire- fighting systems. <br />Currently, none of the water seeping into the mine is used in the mine. Water inflows typically are <br />pumped -out of the mine, treated, and discharged according to NPDES permit requirements. West <br />Elk Mine has a package -type wastewater treatment plant to treat sewage from the mine's facilities. <br />The plant has a capacity of 10,000 gallons per day. With an aeration basin and clarifier, the plant <br />provides primary and secondary treatment. The wastewater treatment plant is operated under <br />applicable state laws that govern wastewater treatment facilities, administered by the CDPHE. <br />In 1996, MCC expanded the wastewater plant to increase the throughput capacity to 20,000 gpd. <br />The expansion included a 3,000 - gallon flow equalization tank, an additional clarifier and a <br />flocculent system. The clarifier is added to provide additional retention and clarification as a <br />passive safeguard to plant operation. The flocculent system will be used as a secondary safeguard <br />that may be operated to enhance solids settling in the primary clarifier. <br />2.05 -20 Rev. 06105- PRIO; 01106- PRIG; 03106- PRIG; 04106- PRIO, 05106- PRIG; 01109- MR -350; 04109- TR 116; 0=1109- MR353 <br />