2010-08-06_PERMIT FILE - C1980007A ‎(2)‎

• Permit No: C1980007A
• IBM Index Class Name: Permit File
• Doc Date: 8/6/2010
• Doc Name: Permit Area
• Section_Exhibit Name: 2.05.3 Operation Plan - Permit Area
• Media Type: D
• Archive: Yes

West Elk Mine
Demand for water at the mine is expected to increase in the future. With the estimated
maximum 8.2 million tons (plus) per year production at West Elk Mine, MCC conservatively
estimates that as much as 300 acre feet per year but a likely maximum of 150 acre feet per
year (based on 250 work days) of fresh water will be required. Prior to installation of the
longwall, annual coal production was 600,000 tons per year. At this rate, water needs were
about 65 acre -feet per year. The Annual Hydrology Reports submitted to the CDRMS each
year contain specific data on the amount of water consumed annually at the mine since 1982.
Water used at West Elk Mine comes from adjudicated water rights owned by MCC. Table 33
summarizes MCC's rights. The rights are used according to Colorado Water Laws administered
by the District No. 4 Water Commissioner. MCC also has available (for use or augmentation)
non- tributary water rights and storage water rights for the water generated from the mine and
stored in sumps maintained within the underground mine.
Table 33
Summary of Mountain Coal Company's Water Rights for the West Elk Mine
Source of Water
Water Rights
Mt. Gunnison Pipeline
15.00 cubic feet per second
Tony Bear Pipeline
0.9 cubic feet per second
Chipmunk Ditch
1.0 cubic feet per second
Walter Gallob Ditch
0.75 cubic feet per second
Sedimentation Ponds:
MB -3
0.23 acre -feet
MB -5E
19.59 acre -feet'
Freshwater Ponds:
FW-1
9.98 acre -feet
FW -2
13.66 acre -feet'
Mt. Gunnison Tunnel
0.49 feet per second
Notes: 1. An application has been Bled 108109) with the DWN to combine the adjudicated water storage rights of former ponds MB-1 and MB -2 Into new
and MB -5E.
2. Tfils 13.66 eore-feet hchrdee 3.68 ecro -feet from the formor MB-1 storage right in this pond location and 9.98 acre-feet from the original FW-2
conditional atom ht bein ,..d in the a k tion above.
The water distribution system at West Elk Mine contains several major components. They
include the raw water intake gallery and pumps, cast or steel utility piping, fresh -water storage
ponds FW -1 and FW -2 (formerly sediment pond MB -1), potable water treatment plant, mine
water pumps, a 1.2 million gallon mine water storage tank, freshwater pumps, a 175,000 gallon
potable water tank, and fire suppression systems. Freshwater pond FW -2 serves as a secondary
pond for FW -1 provides additional raw or untreated water storage volume that can be pumped to
FW -1 and then into the distribution system.
Raw or untreated water is pumped underground from the freshwater pond (FW -1) by pumps,
located in the water treatment plant. Water pumped underground is used for dust suppression and
to maintain fire - fighting systems. Currently, none of the water seeping into the mine is used in
the mine. Water inflows typically are pumped -out of the mine, treated, and discharged according
to NPDES permit requirements.
2.05 -20 Rev. 06105, 01106, 03106, 04106 & 05106- PRIO, 01109- MR350; 04109- TRl 16; 04109- MR353; 05109- MR354; 08109- TRI18,
08109- TR119