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Hydrologic 8nvironment; Probable Hydrologic Consequences of the <br />Terror Creek Loadout; and Summary and Findings. A separate <br />Cumulative Hydrologic impact Study (CHIS) ie available for review at <br />the Division of Minerals and Geology. The CHIS filed at the <br />Division, assesses the projected cumulative hydrologic impacts for <br />all anticipated mining operations in the general area of the Terror <br />Creek Loadout on the North Fork of the Gunnison River Valley. <br />Description of the Hydrologic Environment <br />Regional Geology <br />For information regarding the geology of the site, refer <br />back to the section entitled Description of the Environment, <br />Geology. <br />Groundwater <br />For information regarding the groundwater of the site, refer <br />back to the section entitled Description of the 8nvironment, <br />Hydrologic Balance. <br />Surface Water <br />For information regarding the surface water of the site, <br />refer back to the section entitled Description of the <br />8nvironment, Hydrologic Balance. <br />Probable Hydrologic Consequences <br />a. Groundwater Effects and Mitigation <br />There is expected to be no impacts to groundwater by the <br />Terror Creek Loadout, due to the lack of occurrence of <br />groundwater within the immediate area to be affected by the <br />operation. The operation ie located on colluvial material <br />significantly above the elevation of the North Fork of the <br />Gunnison River. This colluvium appears to be in direct <br />hydrologic communication with the North Fork alluvial <br />aquifer. Only minor amounts of groundwater can be expected <br />above the piezometric surface which coincides with the North <br />Fork. Information presented by the applicant with respect <br />to a privately owned water well south of the permit area <br />indicates that water ie not encountered until the river <br />elevation is reached. Operations at the Terror Creek <br />facility will not intersect any groundwater within the <br />colluvial material due to limited excavation planned for the <br />permit area. 8xcavation associated with the loadout pad was <br />completed to approximately 20 feet below ground surface and <br />no groundwater was encountered. No springs or seeps have <br />been identified along the colluvial deposit in the vicinity <br />of the permit area. <br />Because no further surface disturbance is proposed, there is <br />no potential for significant impacts to groundwater quantity <br />in the area. There is a very slight potential for quality <br />of water in the alluvial aquifer immediately downslope from <br />the disturbed area to be degraded as a result of percolation <br />of lower quality water from the coal storage piles and <br />sediment pond. The potential for material damage is <br />considered to be negligible and is further discussed in an <br />upcoming section on Operations on Alluvial Valley Floors. <br />Terror Creek Loadout Page 12 <br />