Laserfiche WebLink
• The recharge capacity of the ground water system described <br />under Bule 2.04.7 has been modified by eacavation of the overburden <br />aquifer in the proposed permit area. Since recharge to the <br />overburden aquifer normally occurs at and near the outcrop area, <br />aquifer recharge capacity has been directly affected. One of the <br />effects of the mining operation will be increased permeability and <br />storage capacity in the unconsolidated overburden backfill as <br />compared to the permeability of the undisturbed aquifer. The <br />permeable backfill material will enable the disturbed overburden <br />aquifer to transmit water to the ground water system more rapidly <br />than would be possible in the undisturbed condition. The increased <br />permeability and ground water storage in the reclaimed area will not <br />affect the proposed posCmining land use. Since the proposed <br />• postmining land use is pastureland and cropland, any change in <br />ground water recharge capacity will not affect the undeveloped <br />surface water supply in the proposed permit area. <br />The overburden in the permit area contains an aquifer of low <br />permeability and specific yield, as demonstrated by pump testa of <br />the overburden aquifer described in Bzhibit 19, Aquifer Test Data. <br />Thus, the overburden aquifer is of little importance as compared to <br />the Twentymile, Trout Creek and other higher-yielding sandstone <br />aquifers to the prevailing hydrologic balance of the Twentymile Park <br />ground water basin (Brogden and Giles (1977)). While the storage <br />capacity of the unconsolidated backfill will be higher than in the <br />• baseline condition, the storage characteriatica of the undisturbed <br />2.05 - 153 <br />