2012-06-28_INSPECTION - C1980007

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June 18, 2012 C-1980-007/West Elk Mine JRS HYDROLOGIC BALANCE - Rule 4.05 Drainage Control 4.05.1, 4.05.2, 4.05.3; Siltation Structures 4.05.5, 4.05.6; Discharge Structures 4.05.7, 4.05.10; Diversions 4.05.4; Effluent Limits 4.05.2; Ground Water Monitoring 4.05.13; Surface Water Monitoring 4.05.13; Drainage Acid and Toxic Materials 4.05.8; Impoundments 4.05.6, 4.05.9; Stream Buffer Zones 4.05.18: - Pond SG-1 (below the Sylvester Gulch Facilities area) contained a small amount of water and appeared to be drying out. The pond embankment was well vegetated and stable and no erosional problems were noted. The There emergency spillway is an open, riprapped channel. The spillway was stable at the time of the inspection. are willows growing on the outslope of the embankment and a small tree growing on the top of the embankment. The roots from these willows and tree may cause stability problems on the embankment or piping problems. West Elk should consider removing them from the embankment of SG-1 . - Freshwater Ponds FW-1 and FW-2 were both basically full at the time of the inspection (with the level of FW-1 approximately three feet below the top and FW-2 basically to the top). Both pond embankments were stable and no erosional problems were noted. The overflow spillways for both ponds were grouted, riprapped channels. Both spillways were stable. - The east cell of the RPE pond contained a small amount of water and the west cell was dry at the time of the inspection. Both pond embankments were well vegetated and stable, with no erosional problems noted. - Both cells of Pond MB-5E contained several feet of water but no inflow or discharge at the time of the inspection. Robin indicated that the ponds were pumped out in the last week and discharged through the outfall for Pond MB-4 (as there is no NPDES discharge point approved for Pond MB-5E yet). The pond is an incised pond but the inslopes were well vegetated and it was stable and no erosional problems were noted on the inslopes. There were two seeps on the south inslope of the south cell of the pond that were flowing at approximately 2 gpm. There was also evidence of two other seeps that were not actively flowing during the inspection. MCC needs to be aware of these seeps and visually monitor the south inslope of the south cell to ensure that it remains stable. There is a large amount at sediment at the inlet area of both ponds. Since this is a very dry year, this would be a good time to clean these cells . The emergency spillway is a riprapped channel. The spillway was stable. - Pond MB-3 contained water approximately six inches below the discharge pipe and was not discharging at the time of the inspection. There was water flowing into pond MB-3. The pond was well vegetated and stable and no erosional problems were noted. - Pond MB-4 contained a small amount of water, approximately one foot below the discharge pipe, and was not discharging at the time of the inspection. The pond embankment was well vegetated and stable and no problems were noted. - The waste water treatment plant pond was full but was not discharging into pond MB-5E at the time of the inspection. The pond is an incised pond and it was stable. - The mine water ponds contained water at a level approximately 10 feet below the top and were not discharging at the time of the inspection. The pond embankments were well vegetated and stable and no erosional problems were noted. - The ditches in the facilities area and around the coal stockpiles were flowing small amounts of water at the time of the inspection. All of the ditches were clean and no problems were noted. The culverts in this area were also clean. The ditches and culverts up to and around the portal area were also clean and in good condition. The ditch around the LRP was clean and stable. Finally, the culvert in Sylvester Gulch, that flows under the haul road fill, was clear. Number of Partial Inspection this Fiscal Year: 12 Number of Complete Inspections this Fiscal Year: 4 311 Page of