Laserfiche WebLink
-15- <br />The interbedded and lenticular strata of the Lower Fruitlands Formation <br />support local discontinuous aquifer systems. Water bearing zones were <br />observed at the base of the Lewis ("C) coal zone, 1.3 feet thick; above the <br />Shamrock ("A") coal zone, 96 feet thick; and above the Shamrock rider coal <br />zone, 17 feet thick. Two monitoring wells, 17-8 and 82-5, are completed in <br />the first two water bearing zones respectively. The water bearing zone <br />associated with the Shamrock coal overburden was air lift bailed at about 50 <br />gpm with no measureable drawdown. This indicates that the Shamrock coal <br />overburden may produce significant inflows to the pit. <br />Pueblo Coal Company has applied for a well permit to drill and use water from <br />the water-bearing zone associated with the Shamrock rider seam. This zone was <br />encountered in borehole 84-2 (see Map 4-2). An estimated yeild of 150 gpm was <br />measured in an airlift during drilling. Water from this well will be used in <br />the coal wash plant operations. <br />At the Chimney Rock mine, about 30 miles east of the proposed Carbon Junction <br />mine, pumping tests were run on the Lower Fruitland Formation. These pumping <br />tests yielded a value for transmissivity (T) of 210 gallons per day per foot <br />(gpd/f t) and a value for storativity (S) of 1.3 x 10-4. These values <br />indicate that the Lower Fruitland Formation will support limited ground water <br />movement and use. There are presently no known users of ground water from <br />this aquifer in the permit and adjacent areas. <br />The Quaternary terrace deposits are at best limited aquifers. These deposits <br />have a coarse gravel-boulder layer at their base which tends to drain the <br />deposits to the side slopes of the Animas River Valley. The terrace deposits <br />do not supply subirrigation to crops. These terrace deposits are currently <br />used regionally for dry land wheat farming. <br />The alluvium of the Animas River is a regional aquifer located 400 feet below <br />the main mining operation. The alluvium is poorly sorted and coarse with <br />ground water levels coincident with the river. The alluvial body thins and <br />becomes narrow at the point where the Animas River cuts through the Pictured <br />Cliffs Sandstone and Fruitland Formation. <br />VI. Surface Water Hydrology - Rules 2.04.5, 2.04.7, 2.05.6(3) and 4.05 <br />The applicant has supplied sufficient information on surface water for the <br />Division to make its findings. Information within the permit application can <br />be found on Section 2.04.7(2) and Map 4-3 of the application and in responses <br />to adequacy questions dated February 13 and May 4, 1983. The following <br />description of surface water is a summary of available information on surface <br />water in the general area of the proposed mine. <br />The proposed Carbon Junction Mine is located within the Animas River Drainage <br />Basin. The mine is to be located within the valley of the upper reach of <br />Carbon Junction Canyon. The stream which drains the site is intermittent and <br />has a steep gradient and a deeply incised channel. Stream flow in Carbon <br />Junction Canyon is directly tributary to the Animas River to the southwest. <br />The drainage basin of Carbon Junction Canyon is 0.8 square miles. <br />