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the rights that are listed in the table were never drilled. In all, 29 ground water rights have been <br />identified in the vicinity ofthe New Horizon 1 and New Horizon 2 mining areas. All monitoring wells <br />for the mine and domestic wells within the surrounding area are shown on Map 2.04.7-1-A. <br />No wells in the Dakota coals or the overburden strata existwithin the surrounding area due to the <br />poor quality and quantity of this water. All wells drilled in the area were developed in the Burro <br />Canyon Formation, which is below the Dakota coals. These wells are primarily used for livestock <br />and the water quality ofthis water cannot be considered good even by the standards for livestock <br />use. <br />Potential Ground Water Use. This section will evaluate the use potential of the local, shallow <br />ground water aquifers by comparing the waterquality against domestic drinking waterstandards, <br />livestock drinking water standards and irrigation use standards. The shallow aquifers will also be <br />evaluated in terms ofwateryield potential. Theterm shallowaquifers refers to any aquiferzones in <br />the overburden strata as well as the Dakota coals. In exact terms, the Dakota Coal aquifer is <br />bounded from the base of the Lower Dakota #2 Seam to the top ofthe Upper Dakota #1 Seam. The <br />lower seam is 4.2' to 6.9' in thickness, with an interburden of approximately 7.5 feet os shaley <br />sandstones. The Upper Dakota #1 Seam is from 0.6 to 2.1'thick. The overburden aquifer is defined <br />as anywater-bearing zone from the top ofthe Upper Dakota#1 Seam to the surface, butexcluding <br />any alluvial aquifers. The shallow aquifers described do not include the Burro Canyon Formation <br />located below the Dakota coals. <br />In comparison to domestic drinking water standards, all shallow aquifers at the New Horizon 2 <br />mining area exceeded at least two of the drinking water standards and some exceeded as many <br />as sevenofthestandards(refertoPeabodyTables7-32Aand7-326). The mostfrequentdomestic <br />drinking water standards exceeded were iron, manganese, ammonia and sulfate. Well GW-N16, <br />an underburden monitoring well in the New Horizon 2 mining area in the Burro Canyon Formation, <br />had the best overall water quality and only exceeded the pH and ammonia standards. This <br />Formation is below the mining zone and will not be affected by the operation. For more detail, see <br />discussion on Probable Hydrologic Consequences. <br />• (REVISED6/28/01) 2.04.7-18 <br />