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Flows in both Coal Creek and Jerry Creek occur primarily in response to high <br />intensity thunderstorms and are characterized by high peak discharges, short <br />flow duration, and poor quality water. Jerry Creek flows most of the year at a <br />low discharge rate. Although no hydrologic studies have been done for either <br />Coal Creek or Jerry Creek, studies done at Badger Wash near the town of <br />Fruita, Colorado on similar soils with slightly less precipitation show an average <br />annual runoff of 0.5 percent (Lusby, 1978). On this basis, rates in Coal Creek <br />and Jerry Creek would average about 0.6 inches (32 acre-feet per square mile) <br />annually. Runoff can be expected to be a calcium and magnesium-sulfate <br />water with a pH of 8.0 to 8.5 and a dissolved solids concentration of 1,000 to <br />3,000 milligrams per liter. Efflorescence, a white powdery crust of salt, occurs <br />throughout most of the Goal Creek and Jerry Creek channels in the permit <br />area. <br />Table 7-3 shows results on an initial survey of Coal Creek and Jerry Creek. <br />. Additional monitoring is discussed in Tab Section 18 of the permit applicatir,~. <br />The southern portion of the Roadside South Portal permit area is primarily <br />drained by Rapid Creek and Cottonwood Creek. These creeks begin on the <br />flanks of Grand Mesa and flow northwest to their confluence one mile <br />southwest of the Roadside South Portal operations area..»From this.confluence, <br />Rapid Creek flows westward approximately i.2 miles and empties into the <br />Colorado River. Both streams are intermittent during most years, but they do <br />flow continuously during wet years. Table 7-4 contains runoff data for these <br />streams at a flume installed and maintained by Midcontinent Resources from <br />January 1980 to September 1981. Additional information has been complied by <br />Powderhorn Coal and has since been included in the annual hydrologic reports. <br />No additional data is available from U. S. Government or State agencies that <br />compile surface water data. Flows in these creeks occur primarily in response <br />to annual snowmelt and seasonal precipitation events. <br />7-8 (New 3/1/96) <br />