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2.04.7 Hydrology Description <br />would be considered the upper perched water bearing zone until additional <br />site specific water level measurements are available. <br />The erratic location of these perched groundwater occurrences, low <br />transmissivity and permeability, and the absence of development and <br />exploitation diminishes the possibility of being used as a groundwater <br />resource in the foreseeable future. <br />Colluvial Near Surface Storage <br />Within the permit boundary area, there are several colluvial deposits. These <br />deposits are contained in the mixtures of clay, sand, and silt with some large <br />rock fragments. These strata were formed by slow downslope movements of <br />near surface materials, locally reworked by fluvial processes. The lateral <br />extent of these strata is shown on Surficial Geology Map 05, where the <br />quaternary deposits have a symbol "%," at the head of Freeman, Sheep <br />Corral, Dove gulches and the east facing slopes west of Terror Creek, "QSfc2" <br />in Stephens Draw, and "Qld' in C- Gulch. The most significant of these <br />deposits are the "Q,s" deposits at the head of Freeman, Dove gulches, and <br />the east facing slopes west of Terror Creek <br />These unconsolidated quaternary deposits are the primary sources of <br />springs and seeps within the Permit Area. Typically, discharge is small (less <br />than 5 gpm) and conductivity low to moderate (100 -500 umhoslcm - refer to <br />groundwater monitoring results). The recharge - discharge relationship are <br />functions of geomorphology and seasonal variations in precipitation. <br />Recharge occurs because of percolation and infiltration in the topographically <br />lower stream drainages. Many of the discharges are also associated with <br />small scale mass wasting features, where presumably near surface <br />groundwater flow saturates the regolith, resulting in slump structures with <br />attendant springs and seeps and infiltrates back into the colluvium. <br />Cumulative discharge represents no total run -off, and most of the available <br />near surface groundwater is believed to be transpired by native vegetation. <br />Wymore (1974) states, "that natural plant associations have normal <br />evapotranspiration rates that far exceed normal precipitation during the <br />growing season, which effectively prevents deep percolation losses during <br />most of the year" for the Piceance and Yellow Creek watersheds of West - <br />Central Colorado. <br />PR -14 2.04-43- 03114 <br />