2010-06-30_REPORT - C1980007 (5)

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West Elk Mine 2009 Annual Hydrology Report 13 North Fork Lower monitoring stations. The three temperature monitoring sites in North Fork of the Gunnison River are discussed in Section 3.1.5.1. 3.1.1.5 Sylvester Gulch (Upper, Middle, Lower) Sylvester Gulch is an intermittent stream that drains the north central mine area. Many of the active surface facilities of the mine are located within the Sylvester Gulch drainage basin area including: the main road to the mine facilities from Highway 133, the coal refuse piles, the mine ventilation shafts, and the mine water discharge facility. The three monitoring sites in Sylvester Gulch include: Upper Sylvester Gulch (9-inch Parshall flume and staff gage), Middle Sylvester Gulch (12-inch Parshall flume, staff gage, and data logger), and Lower Sylvester Gulch (no flume or data logger). These three sites monitor areas up-gradient of the mine surface facilities, areas down-gradient of the mine water discharge point and the mine facilities, and areas down-gradient of the mine spoils dump, respectively. The five temperature monitoring sites in Sylvester Gulch are described in Section 3.1.5.2. 3.1.2 Lower North Fork Drainage Basin Surface Water Monitoring Stations 3.1.2.1 North Fork Lower The North Fork Lower monitoring station monitors the North Fork of the Gunnison River • down-gradient of the mine facilities area and mine discharge points (Map 2). 3.1.2.2 Lower Gribble Gulch Gribble Gulch is an ephemeral stream that flows only in response to storm events and spring runoff. This stream drainage drains the western B-seam mine panel area. The Lower Gribble Gulch monitoring station is located west of the mine, does not have a flume or data logger, and was established to monitor the effects of mining in the west and northwest B-seam mine panel areas. This site has been monitored since 1977. 3.1.3 Minnesota Creek Drainage Basin Surface Water Monitoring Stations 3.1.3.1 Lick Creek Flume Lick Creek is an ephemeral stream that is tributary to upper Minnesota Creek and flows only in response to storm events and spring runoff. Lick Creek drains the southern part of the un- mined SOD coal lease area (Map 2). The Lick Creek Flume monitoring station was established in 1977 when MCC was originally planning to develop this tract and consists of an 18-inch Parshall flume and a data logger. The site was also established as part of the Minnesota Creek Water Augmentation Plan (WWE, 1986). 3.1.3.2 Dry Fork Flumes (Upper, Middle, and Lower) • Dry Fork is an intermittent stream that is tributary to middle Minnesota Creek. The Dry Fork drainage drains the northern portion of the un-mined SOD coal lease area and the area south June 2010 HydroGeo, Inc.