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2.04.5 General Description of Geology and Hydrology <br />Geology <br />The surface geology of the permit and adjacent area is made up of the Mesaverde <br />Group of upper Cretaceous Age, the Wasatch Formation of Lower Tertiary Age, and <br />alluvium and colluvium of Quaternary Age. All local coal seams lie in the Mount Garfield <br />Formation of the Mesa Verde Group. This stratigraphic interval of interest occurs within <br />the Mount Garfield Formation. These rocks are mostly fine grained sandstones and <br />silty shales with lesser occurrences of coal and other rock types. Although the Cameo <br />Coal Beds are of primary interest, other coals occur within the permit and adjacent area <br />at the Loma, Palisade and Anchor Coal horizons. These other coals are thin and of <br />lesser importance than the Cameo seam. <br />Surface Water <br />The permit and adjacent area lies north of the Grand Valley in the rugged terrain <br />drained by two large perennial drainage areas, East Salt Creek to the west and Big Salt <br />Wash to the east. East Salt Creek and Big Salt Wash flow generally south to the <br />Colorado River, a distance of about 20 miles. Ephemeral channels throughout the area <br />flow only in direct response to precipitation in the immediate watershed or in response <br />to the melting of a cover of snow or ice. <br />All tributaries to East Salt Creek and Big Salt Wash that flow through the permit area <br />are ephemeral. Three of the larger ephemeral channels are formed by Munger Canyon, <br />Stove Canyon and Buniger Canyon. Munger Canyon is tributary to East Salt Creek. <br />Stove Canyon and Buniger Canyon are tributary to Big Salt Wash. <br />Ground Water <br />The occurrence of ground water in the permit and adjacent area is controlled mostly by <br />the combination of the local topography, stratigraphy and geologic structure. Water <br />bearing strata are developed in alluvial sediments along the local streams and in the <br />bedrock. The bedrock aquifers are contained in sandstone strata and locally in the coal <br />seams. The lithology of the bedrock aquifers is complex due to the deltaic environment <br />in which the strata were deposited. The overburden is comprised of layers of sandstone <br />and shale which yields perched water bearing zones of limited aerial extent. <br />PR -02 2.04-6 10/12 <br />