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<br />-2- <br /> <br />The recharge capacity of the overburden aquifer was determined co be 50,000 <br />gpd(sq.mi. based on pump test data. The total storage volumessl the <br />overburden aquifer and the entire Twenty Mile Park ground water basin (75 <br />sq.mi.) is estimated to be 708,000 acre-fee[. The proposed mine plan area <br />comprises approximately 5: of the Twenty mile Park ground water basin. <br />In order to access the potential effect on ground water quality chemical <br />analysis of the overburden was performed by the applicant along with a <br />leaching study bf representative samples of the overburden material. Table 4 <br />is a statistical description of the overburden data. Table 103 tabulates data <br />resulting from the leaching study performed by Dr. Herbert Gardner of the <br />Science and Education Administration of [he U.S. Department of Agriculture at <br />the Colorado State University at Ft. Collins CO. <br />The purpose of the leaching study was, in part, to determine., along with other <br />information, the amount of time necessary [o leach the spoil until the ground <br />water quality within the spoil returned to baseline conditions. Conclusions <br />based on this study indicates that ground water quality will return to <br />baseline conditions 74 years after reclamation has been completed. <br />B. Discription of Applicants Proposal <br />As a result of removing the overburden and subsequent reclamation the <br />integrity of the confined overburden aquifer will be destroyed in the mining <br />process. This aquifer will be replaced by a spoils aquifer. The water table <br />in this aquifer will no longer be confined and the piezometric surface will be <br />altered from its present state for the duration of mining. This piezometric <br />surface is shown on map 6. The limiting factor will no longer be [he geometry <br />of the existing aquifer but instead the phreatic surface will be controled by <br />the surface elevation of the reclaimed spoils along the Northwest side of the <br />Eckman Park area adjacent [o the South Fork of Foidel Creek (i.e., the Eckman <br />Park boxcu[s.) <br />The following is a•description of the probable consequences of alteration of <br />the geo-hydrologic processes adjacent to and at the proposed mine site. The <br />majority of these effects will not be permanent. These effects are: (1) <br />partial dewatering of the overburden aquifer, (2) temporary drawdown of water <br />levels in the adjacent area, (3) increased postmining recharge rate, (4) <br />leaching of soluble ions in backfilled areas, and (5) transport of [he <br />dissolved salts out of the mine plan area. <br />Data used [o determine the effects of dewatering of the overburden aquifer <br />were extracted from the overburden piezometric surface maps 11 and 12; Energy <br />Mines No. 1 and 2 geology map 7 and Eckman Park Mine Plan map 2. Monitor well <br />and pump test data from section 780.15 of [he application was also used. <br />Operations presently underway at [he Energy Fuels `fine No. 2 have not <br />encountered ground water inflow to data therefore no dewatering of the aquifer <br />is expected to occur at [he number 2 mine. <br />