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/ EHT Or <br /> } United States Department of the Interior <br /> OFFICE OF THE SOLICITOR <br /> "�A►- DENVER REGION <br /> _ <br /> P.O. BOX 25007 <br /> DENVER FEDERAL CENTER <br /> DEN VER. COLORADO 80225 <br /> March 4 , 1983 <br /> Memorandum <br /> To-, Administrator, Western Technical Center, OSM, Denver <br /> From: Regional Solicitor, Rocky Mountain Region <br /> Subject: Review of Coal Basin Mines Proposed Decision and <br /> Findings of Compliance Document <br /> We have reviewed the Proposed Decision and Findings of <br /> Compliance Document for Coal Basin Mines prepared by the <br /> Colorado Mined Land Reclamation Division. There appear to <br /> be several major deficiencies in this proposal that should <br /> be corrected before final action is taken. <br /> The permanent stream channel diversion and reconstruction on <br /> Dutch Creek (p. 19) does not appear to comply with regulatory <br /> reauirements . "The reconstructed channel is trapezoidal in <br /> shape and concrete lined , " whereas 30 C.F.R. § 817 . 44 (d ) <br /> requires "When permanent diversions are constructed . <br /> the operator shall ; <br /> (3 ) Establish or restore the stream <br /> to a longitudinal profile and cross-section, <br /> including aquatic habitats (usually a <br /> pattern of riffles , pools , and drops <br /> rather than uniform depth) that <br /> approximate premining stream channel <br /> charactistics . <br /> This discharge water from Mines No. 1 , 2 , 3 , and 4 would <br /> increase the soluble salts in adjacent creeks from low to <br /> moderate salinity hazard for irrigation use . The worst case <br /> analysis summarized the impacts of all five mines with the <br /> finding that "the soluble salt level of Coal Creek immediately <br /> below the last discharge point would be increased by 177 <br /> mg/1 to 544 mq/1 " (p. 34 ) . This is a 48 percent increase <br /> over the baseline of 367 mg/1 . The streamflow condition to <br />