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that phospate concentrations are related to suspended sediment yields and may <br />be largely due to the phosphorous content of the soils. <br />Scullion Gulch, an ephemeral stream, and Red Wash, an intermittent stream, flow <br />almost entirely in response to snowmelt and heavy rainfall, although ground- <br />water discharge may contributEa a small amount on a local basis during the snow- <br />melt season (page II C-28 ). Seasonal and spatial variations are apparent from <br />the data collected during the inventory period. Flows occurred in both streams <br />in the winter, late summer and late fall, and in Red Wash during the spring. <br />Flows in the summer and fall resulted from thunderstorm activity, but peaks <br />were greater during the spring and winter snowmelts. Highest flows in Scullion <br />Gulch and Red Wash occurred during the winter event, measuring 185 and over 240 <br />cfs, respectively. Average annual yield from the permit area to White River is <br />202 acre feet from Scullion Gulch and 2,090 acre feet from Red Wash based on <br />Grunsky's formula (page II C-:l7). <br />Surface water quality of Red IJash and Scullion Gulch is characteristically sim- <br />ilar to that of the White River. Red Wash, however, has higher suspended sedi- <br />ment contributions than White River due to poor vegetative cover. Consequent <br />ly higher iron concentrations result, although this may also be due to iron <br />concentrations in soils of 'the Red Wash basin. The majority of dissolved <br />solids in Red Wash originates in the headwaters from snowmelt runoff, while <br />lesser concentrations prevail in lower-basin flows which derive from thunder- <br />storm events. Dissolved solids carry along high salt concentrations, which <br />Stose, 1935, has been cited as attributing to outcrops of the saline Mancos <br />shale found in the upper Red Wash basin. As in samples taken from the White <br />River, ammonia and phosphate concentrations exceed suggested EPA limits for <br />water classified as suitable for all uses except whole body contact. Slightly <br />basic pH levels, yet within acceptable standards, predominate and are associ- <br />ated with low manganese concentrations. <br />B. Description of Applicant's Proposal <br />General <br />Construction of surface facilities at the Deserado mine is scheduled to begin <br />5 <br />