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t <br /> Water puality <br />1 <br /> The Thorne report (1972) concluded that "The quality of Strain Gulch <br /> water, where it emerged from the operations area, was generally beCter <br />' than the quality of water in its receiving stream, Bear Creek. Storm <br /> runoff from the operations area, however, collects, and will continue to <br /> collect, a heavy load of sediments. Under normal flow conditions, the <br />' amounts of sediment that will reach Bear Creek will not cause the waters <br /> of Bear Creek to violate assigned water quality standards. A high- <br /> intensity storm over Strain Gulch that affected little of the main Bear <br />' Cteek watershed could cause a substantial, short-term rise in the <br /> sediment load of Bear Creek." <br /> Provided adequate sedimentation ponds are constructed as recommended in <br />' this report, the effects of the expanded gravel mining operation on <br /> water quality in the Unnamed Gulches and their receiving stream, Turkey <br /> Creek, are expected to be no more severe than the effects on Bear Creek <br />' of the existing operation in Strain Gulch. There may be increases in <br /> the sediment load in Turkey Creek following major storm events. Such <br /> increases will generally be for a short time period, however, and the <br />' effects should not be noticeable beyond Bear Creek Lake, approximately <br /> two miles downstream from the confluence of the Unnamed Gulches with <br /> Turkey Creek. <br />1 <br /> Ground Water <br />' Ground water conditions in the vicinity of the present quarry operation <br /> were addressed by Leonard Rice Consulting '.later Engineers, Inc. in their <br />' April, 1975 report. Ground water in the area is generally contained at <br />shallow depths in the streambed alluvial materials or at greater depths <br /> in the fault and fracture systems of the metamorphic rock. The shallow <br /> ground water system is dependent upon streamflows and generally contains <br />' water only during the wet portions of the year. The water levels of the <br /> deeper ground water system are well below the present quarry operation, <br /> as is evidenced by the fact that the existing quarry is essentially dry. <br />' As the quarry is expanded to the south, it is expected that the geologic <br /> and hydrologic conditions encountered will be similar to those noted <br /> above. Significant ground water infiltration into the quarry is not <br /> expected to occur because water levels are below the base of the pro- <br /> posed quarry expansion. There may, however, be isolated small seepages <br /> of a seasonal nature From overlying isolated alluvial materials. <br />1 <br /> Water Rights <br />' ' <br /> The State Engineer <br />s tabulation of water rights lists several direct <br /> flow rights on Bear Creek below Strain Gulch and on Turkey Creek down- <br /> stream from the Unnamed Gulches. The flow in Strain Gulch and the <br />' Unnamed Gulches generally occurs only during the spring runoff season or <br /> after major storm events, however, when there is sufficient water in the <br /> <br /> 6 <br />