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The trend of decreasing recharge va <br />figures are more representative of <br />material has consolidated vegetation <br />Most of the recharge occurs during <br />which usually occurs from mid-April <br />piration is low. <br />lues indicates that the lower • <br />recharge after the backfill <br />has become more established. <br />the spring snowmelt period <br />to mid-June when evapotrans- <br />Discharge rate information from the Pond F Spring and the Area 2 <br />is available from CYCC from June 1985 to April 1986. Discharge <br />from the spring is entirely from groundwater. Discharge rate <br />information from the Area 2 Pit is available from June and July <br />of 1986 and during this period almost all discharge from the pit <br />is derived from groundwater. The discharge rate data from June <br />to October 1985 used in this report have been corrected for <br />measurement error. Future monitoring of flow rates, as part of <br />the overall spoil monitoring program, will serve to establish the <br />validity of the model of ground water flow in the spoil proposed <br />in this report. <br />Structure data for the base of the mined Wadge coal seam and <br />reclaimed land surface elevation data were available from CYCC to <br />generate contour maps and geologic cross-sections. <br />GEOLOGIC SETTING • <br />The topographic surface in the vicinity of the Eckman Park <br />operations is strongly controlled by the structure of the more <br />resistant geologic units in the Twentymile Park Basin. Mining of <br />the Wadge coal seam at the Eckman Park operations has occurred on <br />the dip slope between Foidel Creek and the southern rim of the <br />topographic divide formed by the Trout Creek sandstone outcrop. <br />Removal of the coal and replacement of overburden material has <br />resulted in a backfill aquifer approximately 100 feet thick and <br />dipping to the north at about 6-10 degrees (Figures 2 and 3). <br />The backfill material is underlain by an interbedded shale/silt- <br />stone/sandstone unit that probably forms a reasonably effective <br />lower aquitard. <br />The permeability of the unmined Wadge coal and shale/sandstone <br />overburden sequence to the north of the backfilled area has an <br />average permeability ranging from 10~10yft/sec, based on pumping <br />tests run by CYCC. These values are several orders of magnitude <br />lower than the average backfill permeability. It is therefore <br />reasonable to assume that groundwater flow into the undisturbed <br />area from the backfilled area would be limited. Recharge to the <br />backfill is primarily from snowmelt during the period which <br />usually occurs from mid-April to mid-June. This recharge would <br />infiltrate through the unsaturated zone of the backfill and tend <br />to build up a zone of saturation at the base of the material <br />above the underlying aquitard. Groundwater flow in the saturated • <br />backfill material would tend to follow the structural dip of the <br />underlying aquitard. Due to the low permeability <br />3 <br />