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CHAP'iERFIVE Draft EIS Reulslons <br />• Page 2-29 <br />2.2.8 Potential Future Mining Activity <br />CHAPTER 3.0 AFFECTED ENVIRONMENT <br />~e 3-12 <br />3.3 SURFACE WATER AND SURFACE WATER DRAINAGES <br />The entire Project Area is located within the Colorado River drainage basin. F~ure 3.3-1 shows <br />the surface water drainaees in the Proiect Area and the locations of USGS stream eaeine stations <br />discussed in this section. The uppertwo-thirds of the Project Area is located within the Piceance <br />Creek watershed, which dischazges into the White River. The lower one-third is contained <br />within the Pazachute Creek watershed. The drainage divide is south of the boundary between <br />Garfield and Rio Blanco counties, along the Roan Plateau. Piceance and Pazachute creeks aze the <br />only two perennial streams in the Project Area. <br />The climate in the Project Area is semi-arid, with an average annual precipitation of 12 to 14 <br />inches. Evapotranspiration is less than or equal to the annual precipitation. Surface water <br />originates primarily as spring (April through June) snowmelt runoff. Peak flooding events aze <br />caused by snowmelt and extreme summer (primarily August) thunderstorms. Groundwater is <br />reported to contribute 80 percent of the total flow to both Pazachute and Piceance Creeks (BLM <br />• 1986a; Tobin 1987). <br />3.3.1 Piceance Creek Watershed <br />The Piceance Creek watershed covers approximately 652 square miles and is part of the White <br />River watershed. The drainage area ranges in elevation from 9,770 feet on the Grand Hogback to <br />5,705 feet at the confluence of Piceance Creek with the White River. The creek flows in a west- <br />northwesterly direction from its headwaters neaz the town of Rio Bianco to its confluence with <br />the White River approximately 17 miles west of Meeker (Fieure 3.3-1). The White River is <br />tributary to the Green River, which is tributary to the Colorado River. The drainage area is <br />characterized by steep-sided, rugged terrain with intersecting gulches incised into plateau azeas. <br />Streamflow data have been recorded by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) at three gaging <br />stations along Ute creek since 1964. The drainage azea, average dischazee, average annual peak <br />dischazee. and period of record for each station aze presented in the <br />following table (USGS ! 997). <br /> <br />5-5 <br />