Section 88.201. Hydrologic balance: groundwater monitoring

(a) Groundwater levels, subsurface flow and the quality of groundwater shall be monitored in a manner approved by the Department to determine the effects of bank removal and reclamation activities on the reclaimed lands and on the quantity and quality of water in groundwater systems in the permit and adjacent areas.

(b) When bank removal and reclamation activities may affect the groundwater systems which serve as aquifers which ensure the hydrologic balance of water use on or off the permit area, groundwater levels and groundwater quality shall be monitored. Monitoring shall include measurements from a sufficient number of sources and chemical analyses of water from aquifers that are adequate to reflect changes in groundwater quality and quantity resulting from those activities. Monitoring shall be adequate to plan for modification of coal refuse disposal activities, if necessary, to minimize disturbance of the prevailing hydrologic balance. At a minimum, total dissolved solids or specific conductance corrected to 25°C, pH, acidity, alkalinity, total iron, total manganese, sulfates and water levels shall be monitored and reported to the Department at least every 3 months for each monitoring location.

(c) The Department may require the operator to conduct additional hydrologic tests, including but not limited to, drilling, infiltration tests, aquifer tests, chemical and mineralogic analyses of overburden and spoil to demonstrate compliance with this section.

(d) The Department may require the operator to conduct monitoring and reporting more frequently than every 3 months, and to monitor additional parameters beyond the minimum specified in this section.

The provisions of this § 88.201 adopted December 19, 1980, 10 Pa.B. 4789, effective July 31, 1982, 12 Pa.B. 2382; amended December 15, 1995, effective December 16, 1995, 25 Pa.B. 5821. Immediately preceding text appears at serial page (199115).

Notation

Authority

The provisions of this § 88.201 amended under the Surface Mining Conservation and Reclamation Act (52 P. S. § § 1396.1—1396.19a); The Clean Streams Law (35 P. S. § § 691.1—691.1001); and section 1920-A of The Administrative Code of 1929 (71 P. S. § 510-20).