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may not be occurring in this part of stream. It cannot be said <br /> definitely that higher solids levels and possible siltation from <br /> the mine are causing the undesirable affects on the fish, but the <br /> data is quite clear in pointing out a very obvious problem. Whether <br /> the cutthroat and brook trout reestablish themselves further down <br /> stream and whether or not reproduction takes place was never <br /> determined due to the inaccessibility of the lower stretches of the <br /> creek. <br /> In light of the fact that the Snowmass Coal Company has not <br /> reached its goal of zero discharge a bioassay is recommended during <br /> times the mines do discharge to pinpoint any further problems <br /> associated with the mines and aquatic life. <br /> The early 1900's marked the beginning of coal mining in the <br /> Coal Creek drainage. Approximately thirty more years of production <br /> are expected from these mines which currently produce 1 ,000,000 <br /> tons a year of high quality coal . Mid-Continent Resources, Inc. <br /> currently operate five mines which discharge periodically according <br /> to sump holding pond levels. It was impractical to sample the <br /> direct effluents because of infrequent and unscheduled discharge, <br /> but samples were taken from creeks near each mine (Stations CC-2, <br /> CC-3 and DC-1 Tables 26, 27, and 29) . <br /> The #5 mine discharged to the upper reaches of Coal Creek. The <br /> #3 mine discharge entered Coal Creek between #5 mine and Dutch Creek. <br /> Mines °1 and n2 had a combined effluent which entered the upper <br /> section of Dutch Creek as does the #4 mine effluent. Figure 1 <br /> - 19 - <br />