Section 312IAC25-4-72. Underground mining permit applications; environmental resources information; ground water

   (a) Each application shall include the following ground water information for the permit area and the adjacent area:

(1) The location and extent of each aquifer that may be affected by the mining and the estimated level of the water table.

(2) The quality of subsurface water encountered.

(3) The location, usage, and ownership for the permit and adjacent areas of existing wells, springs, and other ground water resources.

(4) The estimated recharge capacity of the ground water system in the permitted area using available information for such areas or for areas with similar hydrologic conditions.

(5) The approximate rates of discharge or usage and depth to the water in the coal seam, and each water-bearing stratum above and potentially impacted stratum below the coal seam.

(6) A description of the seasonal variation in water quantity and water quality in the permit and adjacent areas as follows:

(A) Baseline information on seasonal water levels.

(B) The following water quality parameters:

(i) Total dissolved solids in milligrams per liter or specific conductance corrected to twenty-five (25) degrees Celsius.

(ii) The pH in standard units.

(iii) Any required state water quality standards and federal United States Environmental Protection Agency effluent limitations.

(iv) Total iron.

(v) Total manganese.

(vi) Acidity and alkalinity.

(vii) Any additional baseline information required by the director if the other baseline information requirements of this subsection are insufficient to evaluate potential adverse ground water impacts.

  (b) If the determination of the probable hydrologic consequences as required by section 85 of this rule indicates that adverse impacts on or off the proposed permit area may occur to the hydrologic balance, or that acid-forming or toxic-forming material is present that may result in contamination of ground water or surface water supplies, the director shall require the applicant to provide information supplemental to that required under this section as necessary to evaluate the probable hydrologic consequences and to plan remedial and reclamation activities. The supplemental information may be based upon any of the following:

(1) Drilling.

(2) Aquifer tests.

(3) Hydrogeologic analysis of the water-bearing strata.

(4) Flood flows.

(5) Analysis of other water quality or quantity characteristics.

  (c) The application shall include a ground water monitoring plan based upon the probable hydrologic consequences determination required under section 85(c) of this rule and the analysis of all baseline hydrologic, geologic, and other information in the permit application. The plan shall provide the following information:

(1) The monitoring of parameters that relate to the suitability of the ground water for current and approved postmining land uses and to the objectives for protection of the hydrologic balance set forth in section 85(a) of this rule.

(2) The identification of the quantity and quality parameters to be monitored, sampling frequency, sampling procedures, and site locations.

(3) How the data may be used to determine the impacts of the operation upon the hydrologic balance.

(4) Specific water parameter information shall be monitored and data submitted to the director at least every three (3) months for each monitoring location. The required information shall include, at a minimum, the following:

(A) Total dissolved solids in milligrams per liter or specific conductance corrected to twenty-five (25) degrees Celsius.

(B) The pH in standard units.

(C) Total iron.

(D) Total manganese.

(E) Water levels.

(5) Any additional monitoring information required by the director if it is necessary to evaluate potential adverse ground water impacts that are not addressed by the other monitoring requirements of this subsection.

(6) If an applicant can demonstrate, by the use of the probable hydrologic consequences determination and other available information, that a particular water-bearing stratum in the proposed permit and adjacent areas is not one which serves as an aquifer that significantly ensures the hydrologic balance within the cumulative impact area, then monitoring of that stratum may be waived by the director.

(Natural Resources Commission; 312 IAC 25-4-72; filed Jun 21, 2001, 2:53 p.m.: 24 IR 3466, eff Dec 1, 2001; readopted filed May 29, 2007, 9:51 a.m.: 20070613-IR-312070146RFA; readopted filed Sep 19, 2013, 10:12 a.m.: 20131016-IR-312130125RFA)