2011-08-01_REPORT - C1980007 ‎(5)‎

• Permit No: C1980007
• IBM Index Class Name: REPORT
• Doc Date: 8/1/2011
• Doc Name: 2010 Annual Hydrology Report
• From: HydroGeo, Inc
• To: DRMS
• Annual Report Year: 2010
• Permit Index Doc Type: Hydrology Report
• Email Name: TAK
• Media Type: D
• Archive: No

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West Elk Mine 2010 Annual Hydrology Report 15
3.1.1.4 North Fork Upper
The North Fork of the Gunnison River is a major perennial stream that drains the
northern mine site area. The North Fork Upper monitoring station is at the site of the
USGS gaging station (North Fork Gunnison River near Somerset, CO, USGS 09132500)
located up- gradient of the mine facilities area and up- gradient of the mine discharge points.
The underground mine water discharge flows into Sylvester Gulch then into the North
Fork of the Gunnison River. The mine surface water runoff is treated and routed to
holding ponds and is then discharged to the North Fork, if necessary. All of the mine
water discharge occurs between the North Fork Upper and 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 coal refuse pile,
respectively. Monitoring at these 3 sites began in 1977. 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).
Monitoring of the North Fork Lower site began in 1935.
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 longwall panel area.
July 2011 HydroGeo, Inc.