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w <br /> Porcupine Creek a tributary to Coal Creek(above the mining area), was <br /> unaffected by the mining activities and had a much better water quality than <br /> Coal Creek or the other tributaries sampled. Limited populations of aquatic <br /> insects in Coal Creek emphasize the degraded quality of this stream." <br /> In the period April, 1989 to September 1991 the Forest Service did comprehensive <br /> macroinvertebrate analyses of Coal Creek at 4 stations above and below the mines, <br /> Station 1 being the highest (above the mines), Station 4 being the lowest (below the <br /> mines), and stations 2 and 3 being in the mining areas. In 1989 the report stated in <br /> pertinent part: <br /> "... the aquatic macroinvertabrate community at the upper station (1) <br /> indicated that there was good water quality and some good substrate in the <br /> reach sampled. ... At stations, 2, 3, and 4 there were indications of <br /> instability, and although station 2 still had 23 taxa in the community, none <br /> em had resident population numbers, and conditions appeared to be more <br /> degraded in the downstream direction. ... 'There appeared to be a non- <br /> selective impact, possibly from chemicals used in the coal mining operation. <br /> ... The potential for fisheries in this stream appeared to be poor, <br /> particularly at the lower three stations, where the macroinvertabrate <br /> biomass was lower than one would expect in a stream with 128 to 185 <br /> mg/1 alkalinity. ...The 65 mg/1 sulfate found at Station 2 would be limiting <br /> to sensitive macroinvertabrate species, ... The number of cleanwater <br /> species found at each substation indicated there may be little, if any, <br /> suitable spawning substrate available. ... When sampled in June, ... the BCI <br /> of 69 at Station 4 indicated severe stress conditions in that stream reach. ... <br /> It appeared there may be some toxic effluents from the mine operation in <br /> this aquatic ecosystem." <br /> The lower two stations on the Crystal (below Redstone) exhibited similar characterstics: <br /> ""In addition to sediment impacts at the lower two stations, it appeared <br /> that there may be a non-selective toxicant, possibly from the chemicals <br /> used in the coal mine operations affecting these ecosystems. ...There <br /> appeared to be less stability at the lower two stations. ... The potential for <br /> fisheries in this stream appeared to be poor.". <br /> The 1990-1991 "Aquatic Ecosystem Inventory" done by Fred Magnum of Brigham <br /> Young University, Regional Aquatic Ecologist for the Forest Service, provides in <br /> (Septctnher, 1991, nine montL- ager mines closed), regarding (1) <br /> Coal Creek and (2) Crystal River: <br /> (1) Stations 2, 3, 4 (below mines): "Few of the taxa had had resident <br /> population numbers which indicated some stress in this ecosystem.... The <br /> potential for a fishery at this biostation appeared to be poor." <br /> 2 <br />