Current through Vol. 42, No. 1, September 16, 2024
(a) Management
Plans shall contain the following information. The Management Plan and each of
these elements must be approved by the Board prior to mine operation for each
mine with no preexisting exemption.
(1)
Characterization of area; plot plan of the proposed/initial mine
site.
(A) Location of the initial
mining pit;
(B) Location(s) of the
processing facilities; and
(C)
Location(s) and characterization of initial collection, settling, and retention
impoundments.
(2)
Facility layout; water flow diagram of the proposed/initial mine site.
(A) All water collection, settling
and retention impoundments;
(B)
Direction of all major water flow between the impoundments;
(C) All planned groundwater, mine pit water,
and stream water diversion points with estimated flows;
(D) All stream water augmentation points;
(E) All groundwater recharge
points; and
(F) Locations and
planned quantities of all points of consumptive use.
(3)
Water Budget; anticipated flow of
water into and out of mine site.
(A)
Water flow entry and exit points;
(B) Groundwater;
(C) Mine pit water;
(D) Stream water;
(E) Precipitation runoff;
(F) Evaporation; and
(G) Augmentation.
(4)
Water rights information.
(A) Permit or application number;
(B) Entity name;
(C) Permitted amount; and
(D) Dedicated acres.
(5)
Consumptive use of pit water.
This element shall show information derived from the guidelines to
estimate consumptive use of pit water set forth in Appendix C to this Chapter.
(6)
Augmentation.
This element shall show information regarding augmentation done in accordance
with
785:30-15-5, if
any.
(7)
Determination of
water amounts. A Management Plan shall provide for the mine operator to
measure or make a reasonable estimate, utilizing methods described or approved
by the Board, of the following volumes, separately stated:
(A) Groundwater that enters the pit;
(B) Surface water that enters the
pit;
(C) Water that is diverted
from the pit;
(D) Disposition of
the water from the pit;
(E)
Consumptive use of the water from the pit;
(F) Water diverted from a stream or pond;
(G) Groundwater pumped from water
wells;
(H) Water discharged to a
stream;
(I) Water recharged to the
aquifer;
(J) Precipitation at the
mine site;
(K) Evaporation from all
surface water; and
(L) Water
obtained from other sources, such as municipalities, rural water districts, or
other entities.
(8)
Monitoring groundwater levels from a groundwater observation well.
A Management Plan shall provide for the operator to drill, complete and
utilize one or more groundwater observation wells that satisfy the following:
(A) Mine site. A groundwater observation well
shall be located in the local, if known, or regional hydrological down-gradient
area of the mine site.
(B)
Adjacent to a mine site stream gage. Additionally, if a stream gage is required
to be installed on a perennial or intermittent stream on mine property, then a
groundwater observation well shall be drilled adjacent to or near the stream
gage as approved by the Board.
(C)
Requirements for observation wells.
(i) Each
groundwater observation well shall be drilled to such depth that the well
encounters 100 feet or more, if present, of the saturated portion of the
Sensitive Basin.
(ii) Water levels
in the well shall be measured hourly and recorded on a data logger.
(9)
Other
monitoring on a mine site.
(A) If a
mine operator installs a stream gage on the perennial portion of a tributary or
main stem of a stream passing through the mine site, then daily stream flows
shall be recorded.
(B) If a mine
operator installs a rain gage on the mining site, then daily precipitation data
shall be recorded.
(10)
Quality assurance plans. The Management Plan for each mine shall
include a quality assurance plan which describes procedures and methodologies
for how data will be collected, operation and maintenance of all measuring
equipment, and evaluation of data to ensure data is appropriate and
scientifically defensible. Such quality assurance plan shall be consistent with
the Federal or State Quality Assurance Project Plan guidelines specified by the
Board.
(11)
Reporting.
Each quarter and year in accordance with the schedule provided in 82
O.S. §
1020.2(E)(1),
the mine operator shall file with the Board a report in a form prescribed by
the Board or other format satisfactory to the Board. The report shall contain:
(A) The data and information listed in (a)(7)
and (a)(8) of this Section, and
(B) Any modifications to the plot plan,
facility layout, or water right details for the mine, plus an explanation of
any changes in the methodologies used for the reports.
(C) The initial annual report shall include
all data upon which the summary information in the report is based. Thereafter,
such data shall be provided to the Board only upon request by the Board.
(b) Data
recorded pursuant to this Section shall be stored in a format readily readable
by most common computer programs. All data collected must be stored and
available for inspection by the Board while the mine is in operation and for a
period of five years after the mine is closed in a format directed by the
Board.
(c) The operator of a mine
with a preexisting exemption may, in consultation with the Board, prepare a
Management Plan for the purposes provided in 82 O.S. §
1020.2(C)
to ensure all use of pit water is considered "permitted beneficial use", 82
O.S. §
1020.2(E)(3)
to avoid conflicting requirements between the Board and ODOM, and 82 O.S.
§
1020.2(G)
to ensure that augmentation of groundwater and stream water is not considered
"waste" or "consumptive use". Provided, if a Management Plan is to be used by
an operator of a mine with a preexisting exemption for the purpose of avoiding
the loss of the exemption, then such plan shall contain the information
prescribed in (1) through (10) of (a) of this Section and be subject to the
approval of the Board.
