PERMFILE53089

• Permit No: X200521710
• IBM Index Class Name: Permit File
• Doc Date: 8/29/2005
• Doc Name: Environmental Assessment Spruce Stomp Federal Coal Exploration License
• Media Type: D
• Archive: No

Environmental Assessment Bowie Resources, L.L.C.
August 2005 Spruce Stomp Federal Coal Exploration License (150- 2005 -43)
2000). Shallow groundwater resources occur within 75 feet of the land surface (USDA -FS
2001).
The Mesaverde Formation is comprised of the Rollins Sandstone Member, Bowie Shale
Member, Paonia Shale Member, Barren Member, and the Ohio Creek Member (Robeck 2005).
Although groundwater is present in all of the members, the low primary permeability of the
formations, and a limited storage capacity minimize the potential groundwater resources of the
Mesaverde Formation. However, when the Mesaverde Formation is fractured, groundwater
resource potential may increase. Groundwater is unconfined where the Mesaverde Formation
crops out and is semi - confined to confined at depth. Bedrock groundwater flow direction is
generally to the northeast. Perched water - bearing sandstone zones are located within the Paonia
Shale Member above the D coal seam and within the Bowie Shale Member below the C coal
seam (Robeck 2005, USDA -FS 2001, BLM AND GMUG 2000).
The Wasatch Formation is composed of interbedded conglomerate, sandstone, siltstone, shale,
and claystone. The sandstone beds are thin and limited in lateral extent, along with the overlying
shale and claystone beds. Although no aquifer has been defined within this formation,
hydrostatigraphic units within the formation can be locally water - bearing and yield water to
domestic wells (USDA -FS 2003, USDA -FS 2001, BLM AND GMUG 2000).
' Saturated alluvium, which is generally less than 100 feet thick, occurs along Terror and Hubbard
Creeks. Groundwater flow within the alluvium is unconfined and generally mimics drainage
topography. Saturated colluvium is found on the slopes of drainages and on ridge tops. These
' saturated colluvium zones are unconfined, perched and are limited in lateral extent. The
alluvium and colluvium are recharged primarily by seepage from the creeks and by direct
precipitation (USDA -FS 2001, BLM AND GMUG 2000).
Seeps and Springs
Groundwater contributing to seeps and springs in the Terror and Hubbard Creek watersheds
primarily discharge on a seasonal basis from unconsolidated glacial, colluvial, and alluvial
sediments that rest on bedrock. When saturated, the groundwater system is usually of limited
' lateral extent, commonly perched, and contributes to limited spring discharge. Landslides or
slumps can create catchments for snowmelt and high precipitation runoff, which may create
ephemeral seeps and springs. During springtime, seasonal discharge flows range from less than
1 one gallon per minute (gpm) (seep) to five gpm. These same discharge points commonly have
no discharge from the summer time to the following springtime. Bedrock spring flow ranges
from one to 25 gpm, with an average of ten gpm (BLM AND GMUG 2000).
' SSCEL Seeps and Springs
A water resources inventory was conducted in May 2004 to determine whether any seeps and
springs are located within a 0.1 -mile radius of each of the proposed SSCEL borehole locations
(Stover 2004). The inventory identified one seep that was 275 feet from and upslope of
' exploration borehole PRP- SS -10. This seep discharges from alluvium and had a measured
discharge rate of 0.1 gpm (Lindsay 2005). No other seeps or springs were identified during the
inventory (Hunt 2005, Stover 2004). Regardless of the source, i.e., seep, spring, or surface
' runoff, much of surface flow is stored in local ponds.
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