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F coal seam. <br />Occurrences of groundwater have been noted in the <br />Mesaverde Formation from information obtained from <br />drilling, experience in the mines, and from the presence of <br />springs and seeps in the region. This information also <br />indicates that the only potential regional bedrock aquifer in <br />the area is the laterally continuous Rollins sandstone. The <br />laterally discontinuous lenticular sandstones within the Upper <br />Mesaverde Formation support only localized groundwater. <br />Rechazge to the Rollins sandstone occurs along outcrops, <br />subcrops beneath stream alluvium and in the channels of the <br />North Fork and its tributazies. However, due to the steepness <br />of the topography in the outcrop area (i.e., sandstones aze <br />ledge formers) and the narrowness of the stream valleys, these <br />units receive very little recharge. Some recharge to the <br />continuous units and much of the rechazge to the more <br />discontinuous, lenticulaz units will come directly from the <br />percolation of snowmelt and precipitation downwazd through <br />sandstone lens and along fractures. <br />The Rollins sandstone is the only sandstone with sufficient <br />porosity and lateral extent to be considered a potential <br />regional bedrock aquifer. This sandstone outcrops one mile <br />south of the Blue Ribbon Mine in a narrow reach of the <br />Hubbazd Creek stream valley. The only wells in the region <br />which aze completed in this aquifer aze located near the <br />Hawk's Nest Mine along the North Fork of the Gunnison <br />River. <br />When faults and fractures aze encountered in the North Fork <br />region, they generally produce mine inflows. The flow <br />characteristics of each mine inflow associated with faults and <br />fractures depend upon the lateral extent and the proximity of <br />the fault or fracture to a stream valley. All inflows from these <br />sources aze chazacterized by an initial surge of water which <br />then either decreases or ceases completely with time. Mine <br />inflow studies conducted have shown that the primary source <br />of inflows aze from fractures in azeas of low overburden. <br />There are no known wells or springs within the azea that was <br />mined above the E seam. <br />22 <br />