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<br />of Flag Creek. The rock slides and outcrops are about 1 mile east and 800 ft above Flag Creek. <br />Parent rock for soils formed on the lower slopes of the west side of the hogback (Winnenrucca- <br />Claybum) is the Mancos shale. Parent rock for the soils formed on the slopes east of the hogback <br />(Rhone) is the Morrison Formation. <br />Water Information (Exhibit G) <br />Flag Creek is the only perennial stream in the area of the proposed mine. It flows north along a <br />valley eroded into the Mancos shale about '/ mile west of the proposed mine. The creek <br />originates on the White River National Forest (The Flattops) several miles southeast of the <br />proposed mine and discharges into the White River about''/z mile downstream of Meeker. Flows <br />in the creek have not been monitored by the USGS and there is no water quality data available <br />from USGS. However, field observations indicate that water quality in Flag Creek is poor due to <br />the high salt and silt load contributed by the Mancos-shale-derived soils along the creek. The <br />creek is used for irrigation and livestock water by ranchers along the drainage. <br />Other surface water in the area includes stock pond reservoirs and intermittent streams. The <br />proposed mine area is located in an area that includes the heads of two small intermittent <br />drainages (unnamed). Water flows in these water courses during spring snowmelt (March and <br />April) and after heavy summer rain showers. Otherwise, the drainages are dry. Both of the <br />drainages are blocked by small earthen dams that form stock ponds down slope from the <br />proposed mine area. The ponds dry up frequently between rain storms and during dry yeazs. <br />A small spring fed stream runs along the south side of the staging area. There is a stock pond <br />there for water storage. The pond covers less than 1 acre. The water rights in this stream belong <br />to the ranch. A small amount of water will be used in a rock tumbler to be located at the staging <br />area. <br />Groundwater resources in the area consist of water stored in alluvium along streams. This <br />shallow groundwater recharges the streams during low flow periods. There are no bedrock <br />