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<br />local, because to our knONledge, no local contractors qualify as deep-well <br />drillers. Test-well monitors require special skills usually unavailable <br />locally. Adequate housing or trailer space would be available in Nucla and <br />Naturita. The additional incatE generated by the test drilling and monitoring <br />workers would have a negligible impact on secondary employment opportunities. <br />Including construction workers and their families, the population influx would <br />be about 37 in the peak year of construction, an increase of 2 percent over the <br />1984 population estimates. The effects on commercial facilities and community <br />services would be minimal. <br /> <br />Geology <br /> <br />The geologic effects of deep-well injection of brine into the Mississippian <br />and o=vonian age fOrIl\3tions underlying Paradox Valley are considered minimal. <br />Based on the results of technical studies done by Ken E. D3vis Associates of <br />Houston, Texas, Reclamation concludes that the Leadville Ouray t and Elbert <br />FOrIl\3tions have the desired characteristics for satisfactory long-term disposal <br />of brine. <br /> <br />These fOrIl\3tions, 14,050 to 16,000 feet deep, are expected to have <br />sufficient permeability and porosity to accept the injected brine under fracture <br />pressure at the proposed flON rate. The purpose of the test would be to <br />determine the amount of permeability and porosity in the fOrIl\3tion. The <br />fOrIl\3tion water in this proposed injection zone is already brine, and the <br />injection of salt water would not affect a potentially usable source of <br />potable water. <br /> <br />The Hermosa Group and the Molas FOrIl\3tion above the proposed injection zone <br />provide a positive i.rrp:rmeable barrier to the upward migration of the injected <br />fluid. On canpletion of the test, the injected brine would remain in the <br />designated disposal fOrIl\3tions with no movement to the surface or to freshwater <br />zones. <br /> <br />Since the fall of 1983, the USGS has collected baseline seismic data in the <br />unit area. No change in seismic activity in the area is anticipated; if an <br />increase were to occur, the existing seismic monitoring system would permit <br />early detection. If significant tremors were detected, unit operations would be <br />curtailed. <br /> <br />Hydrology <br /> <br />During the two-year test program, the injection rate would range between 0.5 <br />and 1.5 cfs. The brine for the test would be supplied from the brine production <br />well field along the Dolores River in Paradox Valley. The testing program would <br />help to determine the actual operating process of the unit. Operation of the <br />system during the test period would decrease the ground water inflON to the <br />Dolores River by approximately 0.5 to 1. 5 ds (362 to 1,086 acre-feet per year) <br />and control approximately 30 to 90 percent of the current brine inflON. This <br />brine removal would reduce the salt load in the river by approximately 62,000 to <br />185,000 tons per year. <br /> <br />11 <br /> <br />00 <br /> <br />53 <br />