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<br /> <br />STATE iii iiiiiiiiiiiuiii <br />999 <br />OF COLOlZADO <br />DIVISION OF MINERALS AND GEOLOGY os~co <br />r <br />Depanmenl of Nawral Resources oe <br />ms's" <br /> N~~ b <br /> <br />1313 Sherman St., Room 215 0 <br />g <br />• <br />~ <br />' <br />Denver, CO 80203 ~ <br />' <br />~>• ~ • <br />~ <br />Phone: (3031 866-3 567 re~c <br />FAX: 11031 832-8106 Roy Romcr <br /> Gnvemur <br />September 1, 1993 <br />Michael tl. LonF <br /> Div is inn Direanr <br />Mr. Terry Ireland <br />US Fish~& Wildlife Service <br />525 25'~ Road, Suite B-113 <br />Grand Junction, CO 81404-6199 <br />RE: Water Depletion Estimate (Technical Revision No. 64); <br />West Elk Mine; File No. C-80-007 <br />Dear Mr. Ireland; <br />Please find enclosed the revised water depletion estimate for Mountain Coal <br />Company's (MCC) West Elk Mine, located in Gunnison County along the North Fork <br />of the Gunnison River. A letter received from your office dated February 23, <br />1993, disagreed with the estimate calculated by MCC; therefore, a revised <br />estimate has been provided. <br />The revised estimate has eliminated the surface water flow of 46.7 acre-feet. <br />However, the 5.0 acre-feet remains, as MCC holds a well permit, the Mt. Gunnison <br />No. 1 Mine Tunnel, which allows them rights to the mine water. A 47.3 acre-feet <br />return flow has been subtracted from the total depletion from the North Fork. <br />As explained in HCC's cover letter, all water that ie pumped into the mine is not <br />used consumptively, but ie returned to the North Fork. HCC has also revised the <br />amount of water that ie anticipated to be withdrawn from the North Fork. I have <br />also enclosed the revised permit pages referenced in MCC's cover letter. <br />The Division believes that the revised water depletion estimate for the Weet Elk <br />Mine will now satisfy the USFWS concerns. Please verify this as soon ae <br />possible. The Division is aware that consultations of this nature should be <br />handled through the Office of Surface Mining; however, since the consultation <br />regarding this mine began with our offices, the Division thought it would be <br />easier for us to complete the consultation at this late date. <br />Please call if you have any questions. I will look forward to hearing the USFWS <br />response. <br />Y. <br />Christine E. <br />Reclamation <br />st <br />CEJ/007TR64.USFWS <br />