Laserfiche WebLink
West Elk Mine 2012 Annual Hydrology Report 18 <br />3.1.3.8 South Prong Creek <br />South Prong Creek is an ephemeral stream that is tributary to Upper Minnesota Creek. <br />The north fork of South Prong Creek drains the southern portion of the SOD mine plan <br />area. The monitoring station on South Prong Creek is located at the mouth of the <br />drainage (Map 2) and does not have a flume or data logger. Preliminary flow and water <br />quality data were collected during a one time sampling round of this site in 2005 <br />(HydroGeo, 2006). South Prong Creek is not part of the current (WY2012) monitoring <br />program. Baseline monitoring is scheduled to resume in about 2017, or at least one year <br />prior to when mining begins in the area to monitor potential mining induced impacts. <br />3.1.4 Temperature Monitoring Sites <br />The surface lands of the West Elk Mine are drained to the north by the NFGR. Water <br />from the mine water pumping facility (MWPF) discharge point enters the NFGR via <br />Sylvester Gulch. In September 2007, MCC contracted GEI Consultants (GEI) to install <br />temperature data loggers in Sylvester Gulch and in the NFGR, in order to monitor the <br />effects of discharge from Sylvester Gulch on the water temperature of the NFGR. <br />Five temperature loggers (ONSET Corp. HOBO Water Temp Pro v2) were deployed <br />within Sylvester Gulch, and three within the NFGR (Table 4) by GEI on September 21, <br />2007. The temperature loggers were initially programmed to record temperature data at <br />15 minute intervals. The data loggers were re- programmed in WY 2009 to collect data at <br />hourly intervals. The temperature loggers are weighted with an anchor and attached to <br />secure points on the shore using 3/16 inch aircraft grade galvanized steel cable. Data <br />from the temperature loggers are downloaded on -site monthly by HydroGeo (whenever <br />ice or dangerously high water levels do not prevent access to the loggers). <br />The locations of the temperature monitoring sites are shown on Figure 8. Water <br />temperature data and graphs for WY 2012 from the eight temperature monitoring sites <br />are presented in Appendix I and J, respectively. MCC's current permit effective May 1, <br />2010 required installation of temperature monitoring equipment by January 1, 2011 <br />(Section 4.3.1.4). <br />June 20 13 HydroGeo, Inc. <br />