2013-07-02_REPORT - C1980007 (3)

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West Elk Mine 2012 Annual Hydrology Report 17 3.1.3.4 Poison Gulch Poison Gulch is an ephemeral stream that is tributary to the Dry Fork and only flows in response to storm events and spring runoff. Poison Gulch flows into the Dry Fork between the Middle and Upper Dry Fork monitoring stations. Poison Gulch is located in the SOD mine panels area. The Poison Gulch monitoring station was established as a new monitoring location in the spring of 2005 and does not have a flume or data logger (Map 2). Baseline monthly monitoring of Poison Gulch was conducted from May through October 2005. Routine monitoring (three times per year) of Poison Gulch began in WY 2006. 3.1.3.5 Deer Creek Deer Creek is an ephemeral stream that is tributary to the Dry Fork and only flows in response to storm events and spring runoff. Deer Creek flows into the Dry Fork, upstream of the Minnesota Reservoir Flume monitoring station and downstream of the Middle Dry Fork monitoring station. Deer Creek is located in the SOD mine panels area. The Deer Creek monitoring station was established as a new monitoring location in the spring of 2005 (Map 2) and does not have a flume or data logger. Baseline monthly monitoring of Deer Creek was conducted in WY 2005. Routine monitoring (three times per year) of Deer Creek began in WY 2006. 3.1.3.6 Horse Gulch and East Gulch, East of Horse Gulch Horse Gulch and East Gulch, East of Horse Gulch are ephemeral stream drainages that are tributary to the Dry Fork and flow only in response to storm events and spring runoff. Horse Gulch flows into Minnesota Reservoir. East Gulch, East of Horse Gulch flows from the north into the Dry Fork, upstream of the Minnesota Reservoir Flume monitoring station and downstream of the Middle Dry Fork monitoring station. Horse Gulch is downgradient of the southwest mine panels area. East Gulch, East of Horse Gulch overlies the southwest and SOD mine panels areas. These monitoring stations were established in 1977, do not have flumes or data loggers, and are located north and northeast of Minnesota Reservoir, respectively (Map 2). 3.1.3.7 Minnesota Creek (Upper, Lower) Minnesota Creek is the major stream that drains the southwestern portion of the permit area. There are two stream monitoring stations in Minnesota Creek: Upper Minnesota Creek, located upstream of the confluence with Dry Fork; and Lower Minnesota Creek, located downstream of the confluence with Dry Fork. The Upper Minnesota Creek monitoring station was established by the USFS in 1977 to collect baseline data for the SOD mine panels area and to support the Minnesota Creek Augmentation Plan. The Upper Minnesota Creek Flume site has a 48 -inch Parshall flume and a data logger. The Lower Minnesota Creek monitoring station, Minnesota Creek near Paonia, CO (USGS 09134000), is a USGS surface water gaging station. This site was monitored from 1937 to 1947 and then from 1985 to the present. The Lower Minnesota Creek station monitors the SOD mine panels area and the southwest mine panels area (Map 2). June 2013 HydroGeo, Inc.