POPLAR RIVER BILATERAL MONITORING COMMITTEE 



Department of State 

 Washington, D.C., United States 



Governor's Office, State of Montana 

 Helena, Montana, United States 



Department of External Affairs 

 Ottawa, Ontario, Canada 



Saskatchewan Environment 

 Regina, Saskatchewan, Canada 



Gentlemen: 



During 1984, the Poplar River Bilateral Monitoring Committee continued to 

 fulfill the responsibilities assigned by the governments under the Poplar 

 River Cooperative Monitoring Arrangement dated September 23, 1980. Water 

 quantity, water quality, and air quality relevant to the International Boundary 

 were monitored in accordance to the 1984 Technical Monitoring Schedule. 

 The monitoring data were exchanged on a quarterly basis. Herein is the 

 report of activities of 1984 and the proposed monitoring schedule for 1985. 



The report summarizes current conditions relative to pre-project conditions 

 and compares current conditions to guidelines for specific parameter values 

 that were developed under International Joint Committee references. References 

 are made to State, Provincial, or Federal standards or objectives where these 

 are relevant. After examination and evaluation of the monitoring information 

 for 1984, the Committee finds that the measured conditions are within the norms 

 of the accepted objectives. 



During 1984, ground-water monitoring in Montana south of the coal mine was 

 intensified to better assess potential transboundary impacts of the cone 

 of depression associated with coal-seam dewatering. The Committee was informed 

 that operation of the present mine will be phased out during the next 5 years 

 and that new mines will be developed 10 to 15 kilometers to the east and north- 

 east of the present mine. A goal of the Committee during 1985 will be to rec- 

 ommend additions and modifications to the Technical Monitoring Schedule to 

 ensure that all potential impacts to transboundary waters from the new mine 

 can be detected and monitored. 



This letter serves as as reminder that the initial 5 year term of the Cooperative 

 Monitoring Arrangement expires in September 1985. Article 5, Terms of Arrange- 

 ment, addresses the provisions of renewal. 



Yours sincerely. 



/V? cif M^/rw 



J. R^ Knapton 



Chairman, United States Section 



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M-XSL^ 



At-*'^ — - 



B. Hayden 



Member, United States Section 



G. w. n6vai 



Chairmat^^ C^adian Section 



^- . . , ■ ■ U^t 

 W. Glimmer 

 Member, Canadian Section 



