2025-08-28_HYDROLOGY - M1983194 ‎(7)‎

• Permit No: M1983194
• IBM Index Class Name: Hydrology
• Doc Date: 8/28/2025
• From: NSI
• To: EPA
• Archive: No

Natural Soda LLC 2024 Project Status Report & Annual Plan of Development
1 January 2025
1.0 Introduction and Project Summary
This 2024 Project Status Report and Annual Plan of Development is submitted to fulfill
the requirements of BLM sodium leases, COC-00118326, COC-00118327,
COC-0119986, and COC-37474 as stated in Federal Regulations 43 CFR, Subpart 3591
and 3592 and the Project Record of Decision dated January 20, 1987. This report is also
submitted to the Colorado Division of Reclamation Mining and Safety (DRMS) to meet
the requirements for an Annual Report per State permit number M-1983-194, and in part
to meet the requirements contained in the EPA UIC Class III Area Permits: CO30358-
00000.
This report summarizes the Natural Soda LLC (NS) 2024 process operations, production
activities, reclamation status, geotechnical and environmental monitoring results, as well
as the status of surface facilities and wells. Proposed operations for 2025 will be
described in this report, including the permitting of two new production wells, 19H-1V and
19H-IR-E. NS will also complete the connection of two production wells, the 18H-1V and
the 18H-IR-W well drilled in 2024. Groundwater monitor wells (GMWs) and water supply
wells (WSWs) will be maintained in 2025.
2.0 Description of Project Area
2.1. Location and Regional Setting
The four NS federal sodium leases are located in the Piceance Creek Basin in Rio Blanco
County in northwestern Colorado (Figure 1 and Figure 2). The sodium leases are located
primarily between the Yellow Creek and Piceance Creek drainages, approximately
41 miles from Meeker, Colorado, and 53 miles from Rifle, Colorado. The climate is
semi-arid with annual precipitation averaging 12-14 inches. Precipitation generally occurs
as snow from November to March and as rain during the remainder of the year. The
vegetation is predominantly pinyon pine, sagebrush, Utah juniper, western wheatgrass,
and needle-and-thread grass. The total area contained within the four sodium leases is
8,379 acres more or less. The principal area of current operations is located in and
around Section 26, T1S, R98W, 6th Principal Meridian. Figure 1 shows the NS leases
and regional setting. Figure 2 shows sodium leases within the Piceance Creek Basin.
Figure 3 and Figure 4 show the NS well locations and proposed well locations.