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and coal sequence. Shales are considered an impermeable material and an associated <br />vertical hydraulic conductivity is not available. Monitoring wells were not required to <br />be completed in this formation and [he nearest well that could be impacted is over I.5 <br />miles away. Impacts to this aquifer are therefore not anticipated. <br />Fruitland Formation: The Fruitland Formation is the coal-bearing unit in the area. <br />This unit has small yields of water from the coal seams. A former groundwater well W- <br />3screened inthe "B" coal seam exhibited poor water quality as indicated in the original <br />permit document. This well had elevated levels of sodium, calcium and sulfate. <br />Comparison of these original results to the results from the well W-16 located in the <br />spoils pile of the former east pit are mixed; however, great deviations in quality are not <br />observed. Water quality in the original coal seams was not potable. <br />Two other wells, W-9 and W-]0 were also screened in the Fruitland Formation. The <br />well W-9 was considered the down gradient point-of-compliance well in this formation <br />at the site. This well has shown no effects from activities at the site. Well W-10, <br />installed next to the former Barren Ridge Pit and completed in the Fruitland Formation, <br />has consistently exhibited elevated levels of iron, and often elevated levels of <br />manganese, and sulfate above the human health standazds since 1985. (CDH, Water <br />Quality Control Commission) <br />The Fruitland Formation is generally not considered an aquifer due to the poor water <br />quality associated with the coal seams and the low yield of the formation. Piteau and <br />Associates determined the transmissivity of this formation as 130 g/d/ft, which is poor <br />to fair well potential for domestic use. Additionally, the alluvium and surface waters <br />in the area are considered better water sources. The Fruitland Formation in this area <br />does not appear to be used as a source of groundwater for domestic, agricultural, or <br />industrial purposes. A review of water well permits in the area of T34N, R4W, did not <br />reveal wells completed in this formation. Since no usage appears to be occurring from <br />this groundwater, and the groundwater originally is considered non-potable, impacts <br />associated with mining would appear to present little risk to the environment. <br />Other Possible /mpacts <br />Flooding or streamflow appears not to have been affected in the past by operations, and <br />since reclamation, does no[ appear likely. Surface and groundwater availability in the <br />area has not been affected and nor does it appear that it will be affected in the future. <br />Well owners in the area have apparently not had decreases in the available water, nor <br />have the flows of Stollsteimer creek been affected. Acid or toxic forming materials do <br />not appear to be present, and currently adverse effects to water quality do not appear <br />to be present in surface or groundwater near the former mine. <br />13 <br />