2010-06-15_REVISION - C1981038 (5)

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2.05 APPLICATION FOR PERMIT FOR SURFACE OR UNDERGROUND ACTIVITIES -- MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS FOR OPERATION AND RECLAMATION PLANS. 2.05.6 Mitigation of Surface Coal Mining Operation Impacts. (Cont'd.) (3) (b) (iii) (Cont'd.) Baseline Hydrology Monitoring Program - Permit and Adjacent Areas In 1982 and 1983, the Operator instituted a hydrology monitoring program to obtain baseline information on several representative springs, ponds, streams, and groundwater wells. Several water resources from each of the five drainages within or adjacent to the permit area were chosen for monthly monitoring (see Volume 4, Map No. 4-1). These water resources, springs 16 through 31, ponds 81 through 90, stream monitoring stations SW-1 through SW-12, and groundwater monitoring wells DH-58, DH-60, DH-65, DH-68, DH-70, DH-76, and GR-77, were chosen as representative resources based upon the locale and distribution in the drainages, the use of the water, whether the water resource was an adjudicated water right, perennial discharge, and the site acceptability. This past water monitoring program is discussed in the following sections. In discussions between the Operator, DMRS, and the BLM in Montrose, the involved parties concluded that an emphasis should be given to the hydrologic monitoring within the area to be impacted by the mining in the next five years and adjudicated water rights within the permit area. As a result of past higher production rates, a majority of the permit area was included by the Operator in the five-year mine plan area. The current projection of the five-year mine plan encompasses a much smaller portion of the permit area and hydrologic monitoring is now limited to the latest projected five-year mine plan area and additional areas which have recently been mined. Past Surface Water Monitoring - Permit and Adjacent Area The Operator divided the surface water monitoring requirements into streamflow monitoring and pond monitoring. The Operator installed and monitored eight continuously recording stream monitoring stations in the Stevens Gulch, East Roatcap Creek, Main Roatcap Creek, and Terror Creek drainages. In 1982, the Operator retained Watec, Inc. of Aurora, Colorado, to calculate flume sizings and install stream gauges SW-1, SW-2, SW-5, and SW-6. Piteau and Associates of Golden, Colorado, installed stream gauges SW-9, SW-10, SW-11, and SW-12 in 1983. Most of these stations consist of a Parshall flume, a stilling well, and a 32-day Steven's type "F" recorder. The monitoring PR-04 - 116 - 06/10