2012-07-02_REPORT - C1980007 (3)

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West Elk Mine 2011 Annual Hydrology Report 16 3.1.2 Lower North Fork Drainage Basin Surface Water Monitoring Stations 3.1.2.1 North Fork Lower The North Fork Lower monitoring station monitors the North Fork of the Gunnison River down - gradient of the mine facilities area and mine discharge points (Map 2). Monitoring of the North Fork Lower site began in 1935. 3.1.2.2 Lower Gribble Gulch Gribble Gulch is an ephemeral stream that flows only in response to storm events and spring runoff. This stream drainage drains the western B -seam longwall panel area. The Lower Gribble Gulch monitoring station is located west of the mine, does not have a flume or data logger, and was established to monitor the effects of mining in the west and northwest B -seam longwall panel areas. This site has been monitored since 1977. 3.1.3 Minnesota Creek Drainage Basin Surface Water Monitoring Stations 3.1.3.1 Lick Creek Flume Lick Creek is an ephemeral stream that is tributary to upper Minnesota Creek and flows only in response to storm events and spring runoff. Lick Creek drains the southern part of the SOD coal lease area (Map 2). The Lick Creek Flume monitoring station was established in 1977 when MCC was originally planning to develop this tract and consists of an 18 -inch Parshall flume and a data logger. This site has been monitored since 1977. The site was also established as part of the Minnesota Creek Water Augmentation Plan (WWE, 1986). 3.1.3.2 Dry Fork Flumes (Upper, Middle, and Lower) Dry Fork is an intermittent stream that is tributary to middle Minnesota Creek. The Dry Fork drainage drains the northern portion of the SOD coal lease area and the area south of the Southeast B -seam longwall panels area adjacent to longwall panels 12, 13, and 17 (Map 2). There are three monitoring stations in the Dry Fork: Upper Dry Fork Flume, Middle Dry Fork Flume and Lower Dry Fork Flume. These stations were established in order to monitor the effects of mining along the drainage and to support the Minnesota Creek Augmentation Plan. All three of these sites have 30 -inch Parshall flumes and data loggers. In October 2005, the Upper Dry Fork Flume monitoring station June 2012 HydroGeo, Inc.