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September 16, 1982 <br />~• <br />Guidelines for the ColZect;on of Baseline water Quality and Overburden <br />David C. Shelton <br />Director <br />COLORADO DIVISION OF MINED LAND RECLAMATION <br />C <br />'~ COAL SECTION <br />i • <br />I~ <br />BTATa OP COl0 RA 00 a1C HAaD O. l~M~+. Govamo. <br />DEPARTMENT OF NATURAL RESOURCES <br />D. Monte Pascoe, ExeNtive Director <br />I~IL~IED LArD RECLA~VIATION <br />423 Centennial Building,1313 Sherman Street <br />Denver, Colorado 80203 Tet. (303) 866-3567 <br />Geochemistry Data <br />This document presents the guidelines of the Colorado Division of Mined Land <br />Reclamation for the croZlection of baseline water quality and overburden geochemistry <br />data. The information contained within is to be used by potential coal mine <br />operators to plan hydrologic baseline studies in anticipation of permit application <br />submittal. These guidelines are not intended to carry the authority of regulations. <br />They do, hctrever, represent the Division's interpretation of portions of the <br />Regulations and conformance with them should provide much of the information <br />required by law. The guidelines are intended to provide a planning tool from <br />which potential aaplicants may begin developing a baseline data-collection program. <br />T,9e specific data-gathering requirements will be worked out with each applicant <br />on an individual basis. The guidelines are intended to a11ow for a great deal of <br />flexibility in data-gathering. This should accommodate the variety of hydrologic <br />and geochemical cronditions found throughout coal mining areas in the State. <br />The purpose of a baseline data-collection program is to characterize the pre-mining <br />environment. Once collected, the data may be used to help evaluate the potential <br />hydrologic impacts that may occur as a result of coal mining. From there, a <br />monitoring plan can be developed which would document any changes that occur. It <br />is the intent of the Division to cause the documentation of mining-related hydro- <br />logic system changes to be acrnmoZished. The basis for this intention derives from <br />the statutory requirements regarding the topics of probable hydrologic consequences <br />and curr~lative hydrologic impact. <br />Before initiating a baseline data-collection program, the potential applicant should <br />meet with the Division to discuss the proposed mine plan. The data-collection <br />requirenents wi11 then be developed based upon the existing knowledge of the <br />potential mining area and the proposed mining and reclamation plan. The applicant <br />should review the various sections of the guidelines and determine which provisions <br />are applicable to the particular mining situation. For examale, the just;ficaticn <br />(Tab1e 6) for requiring the analysis of chloride is that "chloride is a major <br />component of che.:u cal dust suppressants ... Therefore, if the applicant does not <br />intend to use chloride-based dust suppressants at the mine, the analysis of <br />chloride would probablu not be required in baseline studies. Only after con- <br />sultation wi th the Division should the potential applicant begin collecting the <br />