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We tentatively decided on a possible location for a well about 150 yards upstream from the ideal spot. (I say "tentatively" because right now its just my opinion and may be discussed further here in the Division.) This location provides several necessazy characteristics. (1) it is down- gradient ofthe portal and nearly all of the new facilities in the canyon: (2) it can be located now and not moved or disturbed during construction; (3) it can be located near the existing streambed, not on a "shoulder" of the canyon bottom, thus improving the chances that the well will be near the topographic low point in the cross-section of the Elk Creek alluvium. A diagrammatic sketch of the area is attached to show the location of the features discussed. It appears [hat a previous hang-up was Tom Anderson's belief that a well in previously disturbed ground would be meaningless. 1 explained that what we need is a record of what happens to the water from the time before construction of the new facilities through operation and up to bond release time. "Disturbed" isn't relevant. If there is groundwater flowing in the alluvium, we need to see how its quantity and quality aze affected by the new facilities. It's doesn't matter whether that groundwater is flowing through "distrubed" alluvium fill or undisturbed. The placement of this well for TR-32 side-steps any issues concerning the alluvium at the mouth of Elk Creek. You can see on the diagram that Elk Creek opens up into a broad flat area now occupied by the Sanborn Creek mine facilities and the town of Somerset. There has been disturbance & activity here for a hundred years. My deduction would be that the groundwater in all the azea underlying that mine/town site -except that direction outside the "mouth" of Elk Creek Canyon - is dominated by the groundwater regime of the North Fork alluvium. It will be very difficult, if not impossible, to separate any effects of Elk Creek groundwater on that dominant system down-gradient of the mouth of the canyon. Another issue that I discussed, although without response from the Oxbow staff, was that it would be very beneficial to both parties if Oxbow would map the alluvium - at least at the site of the well - to provide a cross section of the alluvium-bedrock interface. That would help insure that the well is sited for maximum effectiveness and would also allow Oxbow to calculate groundwater volumes in the alluvium. They might find that useful in the future if a case needs to be made that there is little or no impact.