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Nucla Mine after mining ceased in 1983. These three “springs” identified as SS#1 SS#2 and <br />SS#3 were monitored from 1983 through 1987. The water quality and flow data for spoil springs <br />SS#1, SS#2 and SS#3 are contained in Appendix 2.04.7-2. Spoil Spring (SS) #1 is located along <br />a reclaimed drainage at the toe of the backfill of the old Nucla Mine. SS #2 was located about 50 <br />yards up-stream and to the west of SS #1. The high-wall spring (SS#3) issued from the base of <br />the overburden zone at or very near to the contact with the coal zone. The flow of all three of <br />these springs appeared to vary with the seasonal irrigation. There is some flow data available but <br />it was not consistently collected. <br /> <br />Flow rate varied from a 16.6 gpm to about 47 gpm during the irrigation season at SS #1 to a rate <br />of 16.6 gpm to 32 gpm during non-irrigation periods. SS #3 had a much lower flow rate <br />estimated at about 0.3 gpm during the fall of 1986. The only quantifiable flow rates from the <br />high-wall (SS#3) were during the irrigation season and were measured at about 4.5 gpm. Spoil <br />Spring #3 (SS#3) in the highwall was covered with backfill material when the old Peabody <br />highwall was reclaimed in 1992. During 2001, SS#1 was again monitored (part of close out <br />monitoring for old Peabody permit area) and the data from this monitoring is included in the <br />Appendix 2.04.7-2. While water quality was similar at SS#1 from 1987 to 2001, the flow rate <br />appears to have increased 3 to 4 fold. A possible explanation for this is that the surface owner <br />has been irrigating (running water over the old highwall reclaimed and backfilled slope) since <br />1992 to enhance grazing opportunities. <br /> <br />The springs in the toe area of the old Peabody backfill, SS#1 and SS#2, have a calcium <br />magnesium sulfate type water quality with average TDS of around 3650 mg/l and a pH of about <br />7.0 that varies little from irrigation season to non-irrigation season. This water quality is better <br />than that of the coal zone and probably reflects a blend of waters from the OB, Coal, and UB <br />zones. In contrast, SS#3, the spring in the high-wall, although being of a similar calcium <br />magnesium sulfate type had a TDS of about 1660 mg/l and an average pH of about 7.5. <br /> <br />Irrigation runoff produces areas of wetlands in low spots in the NHN permit area that dry out <br />during the winter months. While these areas appear to be seeps they are totally dependent on <br />ditch irrigation and would not exist without it. According to WFC the spoil springs are still <br />flowing. Monitoring will resume after the permit has been approved and prior to mine <br />development. There are no naturally occurring springs within the New Horizon North permit <br />boundary. <br /> <br />Surface Water – Sections 2.04.5 and 2.04.7 of the permit <br /> <br />The permit area of the New Horizon North (NHN) Mine is divided north-south by the 2nd Park <br />Lateral of the CCC Ditch, which runs east-west across the natural drainage divide in the central <br />portion of the permit area. Within the permit area, there are three unnamed perennial draws, <br />referred to by Western Fuels-Colorado as Glasier, Meehan, and Nygren Draws. Glasier and <br />Meehan Draws are in the northern portion of the permit area, and Nygren Draw is in the southern <br />portion. Meehan and Glasier Draws flow to the west, converge, and then flow north via an <br />unnamed draw to Coal Creek Canyon. Nygren Draw crosses the southeastern corner of the <br />permit area, draining southward to Tuttle Draw. Coal Creek Canyon and Tuttle Draw, both <br />perennial, flow west and south into the San Miguel River, which then flows north-northwest to <br /> <br /> <br /> <br />11 <br /> <br />