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system. Also, as discussed previously, no material damage would result from <br />changes in the quality of surface and ground water that supply the Fish Creek <br />Alluvial Valley Floor. The essential hydrologic functions of the Fish Creek <br />Alluvial Valley Floor would not be affected by the proposed operation. <br />Undermining of a small area of Fish Creek (section 25, T5N, R87W) has been <br />completed and no identifiable impacts were observed in the data. Monitoring of <br />Fish Creek above and below this area continues as per the approved plan. <br />Undermining of Fish Creek was approved in Permit Revision No. 5 in Longwall <br />panels 13L, 14L, and 15L in Section 19, Township 5 North, Range 86 West, and <br />Sections 24 and 35, Township 5 North, Range 87 West. Similar response to <br />undermining of Fish Creek is expected as observed when other portions of Fish <br />Creek were undermined previously. Fish Creek will be monitored upstream and <br />downstream from the under-mined area, as required in the approved plan. <br />Trout Creek <br />The boundaries of the Trout Creek Alluvial Valley Floor which would potentially be <br />affected by the proposed operation and to which these findings apply include irrigated <br />pasture 8S, which encompasses the Middle Creek/Trout Creek Confluence, and all <br />alluvial deposits downstream on Trout Creek to its confluence with the Yampa River, <br />including irrigated pastures 7, 8N, 9, 10, 11, 12E, 12W, 14, 15S, and 15N, as depicted <br />on Map No. 1 of Exhibit 42 of the permit application. Alluvial deposits on Trout <br />Creek meet alluvial valley floor criteria based on extensive acreage of flood irrigated <br />hayland, potential for flood irrigation and a presumed capability to support <br />subirrigated vegetation. <br />Flood irrigated hayland and vegetation sample locations are depicted on Map No. 1. <br />Irrigated hayland is the predominant land use on the Trout Creek AVF and the <br />dominant species are Kentucky bluegrass, Smooth brome and Timothy. Based on the <br />extent of existing flood irrigated farmland, and lack of specific information regarding <br />extent or use of subirrigated alluvium, the Division finds that the Trout Creek Alluvial <br />Valley Floor is significant to farming. The required findings are set forth below. <br />1. The proposed mining operations would not interrupt, discontinue or preclude <br />farming on the alluvial valley floor. <br />Mining activity would not directly impact any portion of the Trout Creek AVF. <br />Any impacts would be indirect, as a result of discharge of affected water into <br />Foidel Creek and Fish Creek. Fish Creek is tributary to Trout Creek, and Foidel <br />Creek is tributary to Middle Creek, which is tributary to Trout Creek. Indirect <br />impacts are addressed under No. 2 below. <br />2. The proposed mining operations would not cause material damage to the quantity <br />or quality of surface and ground water that supply the alluvial valley floor. <br />The only potential for the diminution of the quantity of water supplied to the Trout <br />Creek AVF would be as a result of undermining of Fish Creek and Foidel Creek, <br />Foidel Creek Mine 43 June 4, 2010