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Mr. Alex Schatz <br />March 27, 2006 <br />Page 4 of 6 <br />Modeling of Pits <br />Information from Western Slope Aggregates suggested that the gravel pits would only be <br />mined to a depth of 22 to 24 feet. Consequently, the pits were modeled as continuous drains at a <br />depth an elevation of 5,376 feet, approximately 24 feet below the ground surface elevation, rather <br />than as drains at the bottom of the modeled alluvial layer. The drain hydraulic conductance was set <br />to 5,000 feet squared per day. <br />The pits were modeled one at a time in accordance with our current understanding of <br />Western Slope's plan to mine the pits individually. Pit 1 was modeled first as a drain, and was then <br />converted to a lake while Pit 2 was modeled as a drain. Pits 1 and 2 were then modeled as lakes <br />while Pit 3 was dewatered and the first three pits were modeled as lake while dewatering of the <br />fourth pit was modeled. Reclaimed pits were modeled with a hydraulic conductivity of 100,000 feet <br />per day and Specific Yield of 100 percent to simulate open bodies of water. <br />Results <br />As stated above, each model run was set up as a transient model, but was run to equilibrium. <br />All results were taken from the last time step when the model had reached steady state conditions. <br />This simulates worst case conditions whereby the entire pit areas are dewatered, and the <br />surrounding drawdowns have reached their maximum extent and magnitude. <br />Drawdown <br />Maps of hydraulic head and drawdown are given for each of the four models runs (one for <br />each pit). The hydraulic head contours give an approximate water level elevation during mining, <br />while the drawdown figures show drawdown contours relative to the neazby wells. Table 2 lists the <br />approximate predicted drawdown and approximate predicted water levels in each of the wells stated <br />to be within 600 feet of the mined areas. This table also shows the reported depth of the well (from <br />State Engineer well permit files) and the initial static water level (if known). <br />The drawdown due to dewatering appears only to have minimal effects beyond <br />approximately 1 mile of the pits. Drawdown in the nearby wells ranged from 1.0 feet of drawdown <br />to approximately 16.5 feet of drawdown for wells closer to the pits. <br />Effects on the Colorado River <br />The net effect of the pumping on the river varied relative to proximity of the particular pit <br />being dewatered to the river. Table 3 lists the river leakage water balance as reported by <br />MODFLOW at the end of each simulation (time step 100). The net effect on the river was <br />Martin and Wood Water Consultants, Inc. <br />