74:55:01:35.  Establishment of baseline water quality in new mining areas. Before mining a new area or section in a production zone, the operator shall submit a baseline ground water quality sampling plan to include an adequate number of wells and samples to characterize baseline water quality in production and nonproduction zones in and adjacent to the new mining area. The plan shall provide geochemical, lithologic, and mineralogical descriptions of the receiving strata and any aquifers that may be affected by the injection of mining solution. The plan shall address aquifer characteristics for the water saturated portions of the receiving strata and aquifers that may be affected by the mining process. Characteristics may include aquifer thickness, velocity and direction of ground water movement, storage coefficients or specific yields, transmissivity or hydraulic conductivity, and the directions of preferred flow under hydraulic stress in saturated zones of the receiving strata. The plan shall include potentiometric maps of the ground water surface in the receiving strata and overlying and underlying aquifers. The extent of hydraulic connection between the receiving strata and overlying and underlying aquifers and the hydraulic characteristics of any influencing boundaries in or near the proposed production areas shall be determined and described. Water samples shall not be taken until the specific conductivity, temperature, and pH have stabilized. These samples shall be analyzed for the parameters designated by the secretary. All baseline wells shall be sampled at least once every month for a minimum of six months before any mining activities. If a well shows results indicating a statistically significant variance for a control parameter, whether due to laboratory error or natural fluctuation, the secretary may require additional samples be taken. The sample results for each well shall be submitted to the secretary.

          The secretary shall consider the baseline water quality values for a production area to determine the upper limit value of a control parameter which, when exceeded, indicates that an injected fluid may be present. All samples shall be collected, preserved, analyzed, and controlled according to accepted methods.

          Source: 8 SDR 71, effective December 24, 1981; 13 SDR 129, 13 SDR 141, effective July 1, 1987; transferred from § 74:03:11:35, July 1, 1996; 34 SDR 279, effective May 12, 2008.

          General Authority: SDCL 34A-2-93(15).

          Law Implemented: SDCL 34A-2-44.