Laserfiche WebLink
=Walsh <br />Environmental Scientists and Engineers, LLC <br />changes that would significantly and adversely affect sub - irrigated vegetation or limit the <br />adequacy of water used for flood irrigation. <br />4.3.5 Hydrology Resources <br />Negligible impacts to surface or groundwater hydrology would result from issuing a coal <br />lease. The only activities undertaken relate to establishment of hydrology and <br />groundwater monitoring locations. Changes to surface water and groundwater quality and <br />flow rate are expected to be moderate and mitigable. <br />Surface Water <br />Alternation of surface water flow would occur with surface mining. Straight Gulch, <br />Collom Gulch, Little Collom Gulch, and Jubb Creek occur within the proposed lease <br />area. The reaches of these ephemeral, intermittent drainages that occur within the <br />proposed lease area, would potentially be removed or altered by surface mining. The <br />water flow from higher elevations that these reaches would normally carry through the <br />lease area would need to be diverted or ponded. The environmental consequences would <br />be short term and minimal as federal and state regulations require re- contouring of the <br />terrain to approximate pre- mining conditions. <br />Groundwater <br />Alteration of groundwater flow patterns would occur because of surface mining. Natural <br />groundwater flows in the immediate vicinity of the mine workings will need to be <br />deflected from the mine. Impacts to groundwater quality would be localized since the <br />mining activities are within a closed basin. Impacts to regional aquifers would be <br />minimal. Local groundwater flow after mining cessation should re- establish. Anticipated <br />impacts would be a change in the permeability of the geologic material used to <br />rehabilitate the surface mine terrain. There are negligible anticipated long -range <br />environmental consequences to groundwater. <br />4.3.6 Vegetation Resources <br />Plant Communities <br />The removal of topsoil and overburden in the proposed permit area will result in the <br />complete loss of plant communities. Vegetation removal would be localized and short- <br />term in nature, as the area will be concurrently reclaimed as mining progresses and after <br />mining operations cease. Federal and state regulations include recontouring, topsoiling, <br />and vegetation establishment to rehabilitate lost plant communities. Post - mining land use <br />would include livestock grazing and wildlife habitat. The proposed action would not have <br />an adverse affect on the plant communities surrounding the proposed lease area. <br />Wetland and Riparian Vegetation <br />Alterations in surface hydrology as a result of surface mining may affect wetland and <br />riparian vegetation. However, the occurrence of wetland and riparian vegetation is sparse <br />on the proposed lease area. Wetland and riparian plants may be affected by altered <br />Pa PROIFCTS':C.'kuvo ,I SS EA FkaPHLAI -..I CoIkm ASP I . Pi, tloc <br />49 <br />