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Utah Nonpoint Source Management Plan for Abandoned Mines in Utah

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Utah Nonpoint Source Management Plan for Abandoned Mines in Utah UTAH NONPOINT SOURCE MANAGEMENT PLAN FOR ABANDONED MINES IN UTAH Appendix F of the State NPS Management Plan January 2018 Prepared by: The Utah Department of Environmental Quality In cooperation with the Water Quality Task Force UTAH DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY Page 1 Table of Contents 1 INTRODUCTION ....................................................................................................................................................... 5 1.1 Potential Effects of Abandoned Mines ............................................................................................................... 6 1.2 Implementation of Control Strategies ................................................................................................................ 7 1.3 Examples of 319 Funded Projects ....................................................................................................................... 7 1.4 Follow-up monitoring......................................................................................................................................... 8 1.5 Mining Technical Advisory Committee ............................................................................................................. 8 2 ENVIRONMENTAL SETTING ................................................................................................................................. 9 2.1 Mine Locations..................................................................................................................................................... 9 2.2 Geology ................................................................................................................................................................. 9 2.2.1 Uranium ...................................................................................................................................................... 9 2.2.2 Precious and Base Metals ........................................................................................................................... 9 2.2.3 Phosphate .................................................................................................................................................. 10 2.2.4 Black Shales .............................................................................................................................................. 10 2.3 Precipitation ....................................................................................................................................................... 10 2.4 Rivers and Streams ............................................................................................................................................ 10 2.5 Elevation and Topography ................................................................................................................................ 11 2.6 Land Use/Ownership ........................................................................................................................................ 11 2.7 Vegetation .......................................................................................................................................................... 11 2.8 Geographic Information System (GIS) ............................................................................................................. 11 3 UTAH’S APPROACH TO CONTROL NPS POLLUTION AT ABANDONED MINE SITES ................................ 24 3.1 Identification of Mining Impacted Streams .................................................................................................... 24 3.1.1 Preliminary Information Gathering ....................................................................................................... 26 3.1.2 Stream and Mine Discharge Characterization ....................................................................................... 26 3.1.3 Mine/Groundwater Sources and Pathways ............................................................................................ 27 3.1.4 Mine Waste Rock Characterization ......................................................................................................... 27 3.2 Setting Goals for Specific Nonpoint Source Mine Projects ............................................................................. 27 3.3 Establishing Strategies ..................................................................................................................................... 28 4 BEST MANAGEMENT PRACTICES ..................................................................................................................... 29 4.1 Introduction ...................................................................................................................................................... 29 4.2 Areas of Concern ............................................................................................................................................... 29 4.3 Purposes of Best Management Practices ......................................................................................................... 30 4.4 BMPs for Control of Acid Rock Drainage ......................................................................................................... 31 4.4.1 Diversion ................................................................................................................................................... 31 4.4.2 Removal .................................................................................................................................................... 32 4.4.3 Isolation ................................................................................................................................................... 32 4.4.4 Manipulation of Water Chemistry .......................................................................................................... 32 4.4.5 Treatment of water to reduce/remove contaminants ............................................................................ 32 4.5 BMPs for Control of Radiological Problems ....................................................................................................33 UTAH DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY Page 2 4.6 BMPs for Control of Sediment and Erosion .....................................................................................................33 4.7 BMP Planning and Design ................................................................................................................................ 35 4.8 BMP References ................................................................................................................................................. 35 5 PRIORITIES AND GEOGRAPHIC PERSPECTIVE .............................................................................................. 38 5.1 Targeting Tools ................................................................................................................................................. 38 5.2 State Water Quality-Limited Waters ............................................................................................................... 38 5.3 Source Water Protection Program ................................................................................................................... 39 5.4 Public Involvement/Watershed Approach ...................................................................................................... 39 6 GOALS AND OBJECTIVES ..................................................................................................................................... 41 7 IMPLEMENTATION .............................................................................................................................................. 48 7.1 Federal and State Initiatives/Financial Resources ......................................................................................... 48 7.2 Reclamation Projects Funded by DOGM ........................................................................................................ 48 7.3 Comprehensive Environmental Response Compensation and Liability Act (CERCLA) .............................. 49 7.4 Clean Water Act Authorities............................................................................................................................. 49 7.5 Good Samaritan Legislation ............................................................................................................................. 50 7.6 Voluntary Clean-up Program ........................................................................................................................... 50 7.7 Implementation Milestones ............................................................................................................................. 50 7.8 Authorities and Jurisdiction ............................................................................................................................. 51 7.8.1 United States Environmental Protection Agency ................................................................................... 51 7.8.2 United States Department of Agriculture—Forest Service ..................................................................... 52 7.8.3 United States (U.S.) Department of Interior—Utah Bureau of Land Management ............................. 54 7.8.4 United States (U.S.) Department of the Interior – U.S. Geological Survey .......................................... 56 7.8.5 Utah Division
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