Laserfiche WebLink
West Elk Mine <br />2.04 -56 Rev. 06/05- PR10, 03/06- PR10, 04/06- PR10, 09/07- PR12; 05/22- MR462 <br /> <br /> <br /> <br />Permit Permit Activity Activity Twn. Rng. Sec. Qtr. Qtr. Coordinates Applicant City Use Aquifer Depth Yield Wtr. <br />No. Suffix Code Date 40 160 N/S line E/W line Code Level <br />92019 14S 91W 08 SW NE 1900N 2000E INDERGARD LAWRENCE GRAND JCTN. stock GW 140 2.00 110 <br />92016 EP 6/7/1977 14S 91W 09 NE SE 2000S 500E INDERGARD LAWRENCE GRAND JCTN. stock GW -- -- -- <br />(1) Based on well permit records obtained directly from a CD purchased from the Colorado State Engineer's Office (Gunnison County, <br />Colorado - 2/2003) <br />29 permit wells within West Elk Mine permit boundary: <br />4 wells permitted for domestic uses (3 to mining companies and one to a private individual); all wells owned by MCC and <br />unused <br />6 wells permitted for stock uses (all 6 permitted to private individuals); 3 permits have expired (EP); 3 remaining wells <br />now owned by MCC and unused <br />1 well permitted for industrial use (predecessor of MCC) <br />18 wells permitted for monitoring purposes (all permitted to MCC or its predecessors) <br /> <br />Groundwater use in the general area around West Elk Mine is generally confined to shallow wells in <br />the alluvium of the North Fork and its tributaries. There is an existing well permit for a <br />groundwater well completed in the SW¼NE¼, Section 8, T14S, R90W. This well was completed <br />in a localized sandstone unit at a depth of approximately 120-140 feet and yielded approximately 2 <br />gpm on completion. MCC owns this well, which is no longer utilized due to its limited capacity. <br />The Rollins Sandstone was thought to be the source of water for two stock and domestic wells <br />completed along the North Fork near the reclaimed Hawk's Nest East Mine, although these wells <br />(designated 17 and 16) are probably completed above the Rollins Sandstone (Brooks and <br />Ackerman, USGS, 1986). These "Rollins Sandstone wells" are thought to have a surface water <br />connection with the alluvium due to the close proximity of the wells to the river and the lower <br />salinity of the water (Prince and Arrow, 1974). Water levels for these wells indicated a gradient <br />paralleling the North Fork. <br /> <br />The relative lack of groundwater within the Mesaverde Formation can be further demonstrated by <br />reviewing information obtained during the drilling of boreholes. Figures 5A through 5F in Section <br />2.04.6, are stratigraphic cross-sections between drill holes that indicate those intervals within each <br />hole where groundwater was encountered. The general lack of these notations indicates the <br />insignificance of the groundwater quantity and availability within the coal bearing strata. <br /> <br />Mayo et al. (1997) developed a conceptual model of groundwater flow in the Book Cliffs and <br />Wasatch Plateau. This model was based on an analysis of physical hydrology, solute and isotopic <br />data, and stratigraphic sequences in the coal district. The analysis included more than 300 stable <br />and radiogenic isotopic compositions of in-mine, spring, and surface samples; hydrographs of more <br />than 300 springs; tens of hydrographs of mine inflows; solute compositions of more than 500 in- <br />mine, spring, and stream waters; and more than 30 monitoring well hydrographs. The data and <br />observations from the West Elk Mine area, which are summarized in the reports contained in <br />Exhibits 18 and 18B (specifically for the E Seam mining in the South of Divide permit area), are <br />consistent with their observations elsewhere, and support the conceptual model of Mayo et al. <br />(1997) when describing the hydrogeologic conditions of the West Elk Mine site. <br /> <br />The overall pattern of groundwater flow and surface water-groundwater interactions in the study <br />area can be described by a conceptual model involving both active and inactive groundwater flow <br />regimes. Active groundwater flow systems contain abundant 3H, have excellent hydraulic <br />communication with the surface and thus are dependent on annual recharge events and are affected