1988-04-11_PERMIT FILE - C1981008A ‎(23)‎

• Permit No: C1981008A
• IBM Index Class Name: PERMIT FILE
• Doc Date: 4/11/1988
• Doc Name: Protection of the Hydrologic Balance
• Section_Exhibit Name: Tab 16
• Media Type: D
• Archive: Yes

The ground water monitoring wells will be maintained for the life of the mining operations
or until such time as the CMLRD may agree that they are no longer necessary. All ground
water monitoring installations will be removed upon completion of the postmining
hydrologic monitoring phase of the Hydrologic Monitoring Program.
All ground water data collected from monitoring wells in each future water year will be
compiled and submitted to the CMLRD in the form of the Nucla Annual Hydrology Report
(AHR). The AHRs will be submitted within three months after the end of each water year.
Surface Water Protection
Tab 13 (Facilities) contains descriptions, designs, and plans for sediment ponds, roads,
diversions, and culverts that have been or will be constructed and utilized at both the
Nucla Mine and the Nucla East mining area during mining. All facilities that are
discussed in Tab 13 have been designed to ensure that the hydrologic balance is protected.
The discussion for surface water protection has been separated into three parts: 1)
surface water quality; 2) surface water quantity; and 3) surface water monitoring.
Surface Water Quality. Seven sediment ponds will be used during the proposed operations
for controlling surface water runoff from disturbed and reclaimed areas. All ponds are
temporary, as none are intended to serve as permanent impoundments. The design of each
pond has been developed to prevent additional contributions of sediment to stream flow
outside each permit area, to minimize erosion, and incorporates detention times sufficient
to ensure that all applicable effluent standards will be met. Pond discharge structures
are designed according to standard engineering design procedures for protecting against
erosion via emplacement of riprap and/or energy dissipators. Plans for any future
modification of any sediment pond will be submitted to the CMLRD for approval prior to
construction. All ponds will be removed and reclaimed following the completion of mining
and reclamation unless prior approval to retain impoundments is obtained.
The impact of sediment ponds and runoff from reclaimed areas on the quality of receiving
streams was found to be of minimal significance (see Tab 17, Probable Hydrologic
Consequences). Historic water quality sampling at both NPDES 001 and 006 outfalls have
shown that water discharged from these ponds is suitable for livestock, and that only one
exceedance of NPDES limitations has been observed at any NPDES outfall since 1980.
16-4 Revised 04/11/88