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Recharge Capacity <br />Recharge of the ground water is not expected to be impacted significantly by <br />the proposed mining operation. Most of the recharge area for the bedrock <br />aquifers is outside of the mine plan area. It is possible that surface frac- <br />turing resulting from subsidence could increase recharge to the Upper Williams <br />Fork. However, these cracks, if they occur, are expected to exist for only a <br />short period of time before they seal up. <br />Recharge of the alluvial material by bedrock aquifers is not considered to be <br />significant because of the low transmissivities of the bedrock aquifers. <br />Therefore, changes in the recharge capacity of the aquifers is not expected to <br />be a significant impact to the alluvial aquifers because of the low volume of <br />water which does possibly flow into the alluvial aquifers. <br />The surface recharge capacity of the alluvial material in Scullion Gulch may be <br />reduced due to the construction of cuts and fills in the portal areas. This <br />disturbed area is small relative to the total area of Scullion Gulch and <br />therefore impacts are expected to be very minor. <br />Monitoring Plan <br />During the mining operation, an ongoing program of water level monitoring will <br />be conducted at 19 wells dispersed throughout the mine plan area. Water levels <br />will be measured monthly when accessible. We11s are cased and sealed to iso- <br />late the three formations in the bedrock and the alluvial aquifer in the White <br />River. Six wells are located in the White River alluvium near Scullion Gulch, <br />six are in the eastern and two in the central portion of the permit area, four <br />are located in the head waters of Scullion Gulch and one is down-gradient of <br />the refuse disposal area. <br />Ground water quality samples will be collected on a quarterly basis within the <br />Deserado Mine, in the Staley-Gordon Mine, and down-gradient from the Refuse <br />Disposal Area. ~ Forty four constituents will be analyzed and assessed to <br />determine possible impacts from mining and refuse disposal. Water from the <br />Staley-Gordon Mine will be analyzed to determine the effect of mining the <br />6 <br />