APPCOR13414

• Permit No: C1981025
• IBM Index Class Name: Application Correspondence
• Doc Date: 11/8/1982
• Doc Name: MEMO REVIEW OF WATER RIGHTS ADEQUACY FOR SNOWMASS COAL CO NORTH THOMPSON CREEK MINES FN C-025-81
• From: MLR
• To: RICHARD STENZLE
• Media Type: D
• Archive: No

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STATE OF COLOR4D0 H~CH nRD D. lPMA1, Govern nr 999
DEPARTMENT OF NATURAL RESOURCES
D. Monte Pascoe, Executive Director
A'IllVED LAND RECLAMATION
423 Centennial Building, 1313 Sherman Street
Denver, Colorado 80203 TeI. [phone]
- r r
David C. Shelton
Director
DATE: November 8, 1982 ~
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T0: Richard Stenzle ~ /
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FROM: Roy L. Cox, MLRD I
RE: Review of Water Rights Adequacy for Snowmass Coal Comapany,
North Thompson Creek Mines, File No. C-025-81
I have completed a preliminary review of hydrology for the Snowmass Coal
Company, North Thompson Creek Mines. Several water rights concerns have
arisen during this review. The water rights concerns relate to the
following findings which Mined Land Reclamation must make prior to issuing
a permit: 1) The mining operations proposed under the application have
been designed to prevent damage to the hydrologic balance outside the proposed
permit area Rule 2.07.6(2)(c) (e.g. The mine has adequate water rights and/or
augmentation plan to protect water rights docanstream.); 2) the coal mining
operation would not interrrupt, dicontinue, or preclude farming on,an alluvial
valley floor (e.g. irrigated stream valley bottom) Rule 2.06.8(5)(a)(i);
3) the coal mining operation will not materially damage the quantity or quality
of water in surface or ground water systems that supply alluvial valley floors,
Rule 2.06.8 (6)(a)(i)(A)(II), (e.g. The mining operation will deplete water
which is critical to farming down stream}; and 4) the Division is satisfied
that the applicant will protect the water rights of present users to surface
and ground water, which may be adversely affected by the coal mining and
reclamation activities Rule 2.05.6(3)(a)(ii).
There seems to be sufficient information to address water right concerns
for Che Snocrmass Loadout near Carbondale, Colorado. The cvater rights
information pertaining to tl~e loadout can be found on pages 3-15, 3-25,
3-87 to 3-95, G-127 to 4-128, and 4-141 to 4-142, all in Volume I; also .
Appendix 3-T, Volume II.
The water rights concerns for the mine site appears not to have been sufficiently
addressed in the permit application. The following discussion includes: 1) A
summary of mine site observations at Snowmass and other underground coal mines;
2) A discussion of the caater rights concerns; and 3) A lise of pages, drawings,
and appendices which pertain to basic hydrologic information, operations plan,
and water rights. hopefully this will facilitate you in making your review.
/PP