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<br />001508 <br /> <br />PROJECT TITLE: Ground-Water Studies in Coal-Mining Areas (fig. 5) <br /> <br />COOPERATING AGENCY: U.S. Bureau of Land Management <br /> <br />PROJECT CHIEF: Robert S. Hilliams, Jr., District Office, Lakewood <br /> <br />PERIOD OF PROJECT: October 1978 to September 1982 <br /> <br />ProbLem.--Coal mining may have adverse effects on ground-water resources in <br />the vicinity of and downgradient from mine areas. Mine dewatering, changes in <br />land use, disposal of wastes, and withdrawal of water for industrial and related <br />uses may alter existing ground-water systems, limit available supplies, and cause <br />deterioration of water qual ity. Few data are available for the ground-water <br />systems containing coal beds. <br /> <br />Objeetives.--Determine the potentiometric surface and subsequent changes in <br />the surface for each ground-water system containing coal bed~. Determine the spa- <br />tial distribution of the geohydrologic characteristics of the aquifers. <br /> <br />Approaeh.--Establ ish an observation-well network to determine the potentio- <br />metric surfaces and to monitor water-level changes. Install continuous water- <br />level recorders on some wells. Conduct aquifer tests and use geophysical logs to <br />determine the geohydroJogic characteristics. Collect water samples for chemical <br />analysis. <br /> <br />Progress.--Observation wells have been establ ished in Las Animas, Huerfano, <br />Jackson, Routt, Moffat, Delta, and Mesa Counties. Selected wells are being moni- <br />tored for water levels and water qual ity. Single-well aquifer tests were performed <br />on 30 wells in the Will iams Fork Mountains near Hayden, Colo. Water samples also <br />were obtained from these wells for chemical analysis. Forty wells have'been <br />drilled in alluvial valley floors at various sites from the McCallum area near <br />Hayden, Colo., to the Collom Gulch area south of Craig, Colo. Both geological and <br />geophysical logs have been taken at the alluvial sites. Additionally, water levels <br />are being measured at the alluvial sites. <br /> <br />PLans.--Approximately 30 wells will be drilled in the alluvium along valley <br />floors. Ten wells will be drilled in undisturbed areas near active or potential <br />mine sites. Initially, water levels wili be measured in all of the wells, but <br />measurements will be continued in only a few of them. Water-qual ity samples will <br />be taken from about 25 percent of the new wells. Sampl ing will be continued at <br />establ ished monitoring sites. <br /> <br />17 <br />