HYDRO29866

• Permit No: C1980007
• IBM Index Class Name: Hydrology
• Doc Date: 12/9/1996
• Doc Name: REQUEST FOR MINOR REVISION TO PERMIT TO IMPORVE HYDROLOGIC MONITORING PROGRAM WEST ELK MINE PN C-80-
• From: DMG
• To: MOUNTAIN COAL CO
• Permit Index Doc Type: CORRESPONDENCE
• Media Type: D
• Archive: No

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STATE OF COLORADO
DIVISION OF MINERALS AND GEOLOGY
Department o(Nalural Resources I~~~~
1313 Sherman SI., Roam 215
Denver, Colorado 80203
Phone: [phone]
FAX. [phone]
DEPARTMEN'T' OF
NATURAL
RESOURCES
December 9, 1996 Roy Romer
Governor
Ms. Christine Johnston lames s. Eochnead
Executive Director
Mountain Coal Company Michael B. Long
P.O. Box 591 Division Diredo~
Somerset, CO 81434
Re: Request for Minor Revision to Permit to Improve Hydrologic Monitoring Program;
West Elk Mine; Permit No. C-80-007
The Division requests that Mountain Coal Company (MCC) prepare a minor revision to the
permit document for the purpose of improving the hydrologic monitoring program at the
West Elk Mine. This request for a minor revision is based on the Division's review of the
1993, 1994, and 1995 Annual Hydrology Reports (AHRs) and recommendations made by
the Office of Surface Mining (OSM) and the Division during and OSM surface water
hydrology special focus inspection. The minor revision will serve to resolve issues that have
arisen as a result of these recent activities. The minor revision shall specifically address the
following issues:
• The Division believes that more accurate and meaningful results would be obtained
for mine water quality samples, if the samples are collected directly from the source
of the mine inflow or from the end of pipe prior to discharge to sediment ponds.
Samples from the source of mine inflows have been collected in the past by MCC.
Please revise the permit document to reflect this method of sampling for
characterizing the quality of future mine inflows. When available, provide mine
inflow sample results in upcoming AHRs. The permit document should reflect
sampling and reporting procedures for mine inflow water.
• The Division requesu that MCC maintain an accurate account of the quantity of
mine inflows encountered. As stated the in the permit document, the AHR will
provide the locations of mine inflows along with estimates of the quantity, duration
and source of inflows. Please revise the permit document appropriately to reflect
monitoring and reporting of mine inflows in greater detail. The Division will require
MCC to specifically identify location of mine inflows, duration of inflow at each
location of significant inflow, mine water routing, and Bumping of inflow water. With
respect to Bumping of inflow water, Division Rule 4.05.16 requires that discharge of
water into an underground mine: be discharged as a controlled and identifiable flow,
continue as a controlled and identifiable flow and ultimately be treated by an existing