2021-12-22_PERMIT FILE - C1981019A

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RULE 2 PERMITS area, and thus Taylor Creek is examined as a separate drainage in this presentation. The principal drainages within the permit revision area described below. Good Spring Creek --The Good Spring Creek watershed encompasses an area of about 35 square miles. The drainage is characterized by steep sloping upland areas and narrow flat valley bottoms. Slopes approaching or exceeding 50 percent are common, primarily due to the preponderance of exposed bedrock strata (CDM, 1985b). Incision has created deep gullies in reaches locally within the permit revision area, and bank sloughing is contributing to channel widening. Other, more stable reaches are armored along the channel bottom by cobbles or exposed bedrock. Good Spring Creek has a higher baseflow than other area creeks in part due to flow contributions from perennial springs in the West Fork of Good Spring Creek. Wilson Creek - The Wilson Creek watershed encompasses an area of about 20 square miles. Similar to Good Spring Creek, the Wilson Creek drainage is characterized by narrow upland areas, steeply sloping hillsides, and flat valley bottoms. The tributary channels are incised into bedrock. The valley bottom exhibits morphologic evidence of historic landslide debris accumulation, which serves as a transporting media for bedrock groundwater discharge and side valley runoff to recharge surface water flows (CDM, 1985b). This recharge mechanism is illustrated by seeps along the banks of the stream. Taylor Creek — The Taylor Creek watershed encompasses an area of about 7.22 square miles. Slopes are variable, ranging from 20 to 25 percent in the broad upland area in the highest portion of the watershed, and generally steeper throughout the remainder of the basin leading to the valley bottom. Bedrock stability in the area inhibits the accumulation of mass -wasting debris (CDM, 1985b). The channel is relatively steep, typically greater than ten percent, and incision and bank sloughing are limited due to the bedrock control. Surface Water Quantity — The South Taylor/Lower Wilson permit revision area extends from Colowyo's existing mining operations in the Good Spring Creek watershed into the Wilson Creek, Taylor Creek, and Jubb Creek watersheds. Baseline monitoring was conducted from September 1996 through September 1997 in each of these drainages. Additional baseline monitoring was conducted in March 1999 through August 2000 in Good Spring Creek. The Colorado Mined Land Reclamation Division's Guidelines for the Collection of Baseline Water Quality Data were utilized during the baseline monitoring. Water quality sampling and laboratory analyses were conducted in accordance with Rule 2.03.3(4) for analytes defined in Rule 2.04.7(2) and for analytes also listed in the Division'sGuidelines for the Collection of Baseline Water Quality and Overburden Geochemistry. Field measurements for pH, electrical conductivity, temperature, dissolved oxygen, and flow were monitored monthly. Quarterly monitoring included a full suite of analyses at each location. Analysis for metals included only total recoverable concentrations. Baseline surface water monitoring data are presented in Table 2.04.7-34 and Table 2.04.7-35. Streamflow hydrographs for representative surface water monitoring locations in these drainages are presented in figures 2.04.7-22 to 2.04.7-28. Surface water quality as measured by specific conductance is also illustrated to show seasonal variability with respect to stream flows. Good Spring Creek — Flow measurements obtained from surface water monitoring locations in Good Spring Creek in 1996/97 ranged from 0.85 cfs at New Upper Good Spring Creek (NUGSC) to 17.0 cfs at Lower Good Spring Creek (LGSC). Flows increased in the late spring and early summer months, corresponding to periods of high snowmelt and surface runoff. Flows measured in 1999/2000 ranged from 0.2 to 13.0 cfs at EFGSC, 0.26 to 7.0 cfs at Lower West Fork Good Springs Creek (LWFGSC), and 0.18 to 6.5 cfs at Upper West Fork Good Springs Creek (UWFGSC), respectively. Flows also increased in the late spring and early summer months. South Taylor/Lower Wilson — Rule 2, Page 27 Revision Date: 4/7/17 Revision No.: RN -07