2011-08-01_REPORT - C1980007 (5)

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• • West Elk Mine 2010 Annual Hydrology Report 16 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 longwall 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 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. This site has been monitored since 1977. 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 SOD coal lease area and the area south of the Southeast B -seam longwall panels area adjacent to longwall panels 12, 13, and 17 (Map 2). There are three monitoring stations in Dry Fork: Upper Dry Fork Flume, Middle Dry Fork Flume and Lower Dry Fork Flume. These stations were established in order to monitor the effects of mining along the drainage and to support the Minnesota Creek Augmentation Plan. All three of these sites have 30 -inch Parshall flumes and data loggers. In October 2005, the monitoring station at Upper Dry Fork Flume was relocated upstream to replace the previous site that was frequently flooded by beaver dams. MCC initiated new monthly baseline monitoring of this relocated site in WY 2006 and routine monitoring (three times per year) began in WY 2007. The Lower Dry Fork Flume was replaced in its same location in October 2006 (WY 2007). Monitoring at these 3 sites began in 1977. A flume and data logger was also installed in October 2006 just upstream from and above the high water line of Minnesota Reservoir (see section 3.1.4.2: Minnesota Reservoir Flume). 3.1.3.3 Poison Gulch Poison Gulch is an ephemeral stream that is tributary to Dry Fork and only flows in response to storm events and spring runoff. Poison Gulch flows into Dry Fork between the July 2011 HydroGeo, Inc.