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The Olson Spring (5-45), located about 9,000 feet downgradient of mining, could <br />potentially be impacted. This spring, which issues from the Dry Creek alluvium, <br />could suffer a degradation in water quality. This would occur if the Hubberson <br />Gulch and Dry Creek alluvium are recharged by the spoils aquifer discharge. As <br />will be discussed in the Surface Water section of the Probable Hydrologic <br />Consequences Assessment, this discharge will be of very poor quality. If the quality <br />of Olson Spring, a domestic water right, is affected, the applicant will be responsible <br />for replacing this impacted water with domestic quality water in the adjudicated <br />quantities. <br />The probable impacts to these sites will most likely be observed as a diminution in <br />quantity of water available and a degradation of wacersp~ li v. The impacts to <br />Spring S-5, a colluvial spring, and 5-41, a Williams Fork Formation spring, will be <br />observed as a decrease in quantity of water available and a degradation of water <br />quality. The recharge areas for these springs will be mined out. Springs S-41 and <br />5-23 are both feed registered stock ponds. 5-41 feeds Temple Pond No. 2, a <br />registered right with the State of Colorado. Spring 5-25 was mined through in the <br />mid to late 1990's. Spring S-1 may be affected by a redirection of ground water <br />potential toward the backfilled pits. <br />Spring S-23 may be impacted by mining. S-23 feeds Temple Pond No. 1, which is <br />also registered and is upgradient of mining activities. <br />It will probably be a number of years after mining comes closest to these springs that <br />the effects in quantity and/or quality are observed. Again, this is due to the low <br />transmissivity and storativity values associated with the local strata. Most of these <br />springs are used for stock watering. Mining should not prohibit this use, because <br />TDS levels will not surpass EPA limitations for stock watering purposes. Post <br />mining consequences of mining will be the development of spoils aquifers in the <br />backfilled pits. The reclaimed pits will have the highest permeability/porosity values <br />of any local aquifers. The backfilled pits will induce rechazge from precipitation and <br />surface runoff, from up gradient in the Williams Fork formation, and from <br />downgradient in the Williams Fork and Wadge coal. Until an equilibrium is <br />established between the backfilled pits and the surrounding aquifers, a diminution <br />of water quantity may be expected at some springs (S-1, S-5, 5-23, 5-41) and at <br />Temple Well No. 1. <br />Eventually, springs and seeps will emanate from the topographically lowest points <br />of the reclaimed pits. These waters will be characterized by high levels of iron, <br />manganese, total dissolved solids, and possibly boron. Unless this water is <br />intercepted by holding ponds, it will add flow to the unnamed drainage directly <br />below the mining area and eventually to Hubberson Gulch and Dry Creek. This <br />flow may be expressed as surface flow, or as an increased (elevated) water table, <br />dependent upon local conditions. It is projected that the concentrations of these <br />Seneca lI-W Findings Document 29 November 3, 1999 <br />