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areas. Discharge is primarily through seeps where aquifers are erosionally exposed along the <br />White River. <br />Western Fuels developed an alluvial well field near the confluence of Scullion Gulch and the <br />White River. This alluvial water is used for mine operations. In 1984, Kenney Reservoir <br />was completed above Rangely, Colorado. Kenney Reservoir impounds the White River <br />through the southern portion of the permit area, inundating Western Fuels-Utah's alluvial <br />well field, and its alluvial monitoring wells. Because the alluvial surface is almost completely <br />submerged by the reservoir, recharge to the alluvium is now instantaneous. The mine pumps <br />water directly from a lagoon formed by the reservoir. Only one well, Qal-5, remains in use. <br />Movement of the Mesaverde groundwater is controlled by the Red Wash Syncline and major <br />fracture zones located along Red Wash, Scullion Gulch, and the White River. Groundwater <br />in the nortLwest part of the permit area moves down dip [o the Red Wash Syncline. Within <br />the central and southern portion of the permit area, groundwater flows south to the White <br />River. <br />Surface water drainage patterns in the area are incised and dendritic. Scullion Gulch and <br />Red Wash flow primarily in response to direct precipitation. The White River is a perennial <br />stream receiving discharge from the permit and adjacent areas. The majority of flows in the <br />White River occur between May and July in response to snowmelt. <br />Soils in the area include the Cushman, Forelle, Pinelli, Potts, Satanka and Worfka series, <br />which are developed on ridge tops, ridge sideslopes, and in valley fans. Underdeveloped <br />soils such as Colorado, Haverson alkali phase, Kinnear, Moyerson, Redcreek, Rentsac, and <br />Turley variant occur on low floodphuns, extreme ridge tops, and upper ridge sideslopes. <br />Eight plant communities have been identified in the permit area to be affected by surface <br />operations and facilities. Vegetation communities consist of juniper woodland, juniper <br />woodland-big sagebrush, big sagebrush, big sagebrush-wheatgtass, western wheatgtass, <br />Colorado wildrye, cheatgrass-annual forfi, and big sagebrush-greasewood. These <br />communities comprise a mosaic controlled by soil type, topography, and past and present <br />land uses. Principal land use has been sheep winter range, resulting in overgrazing of much <br />of the permit area. The area is now characterized by a predominance of disturbed vegetation <br />types that are successional or dysclimactic in character. <br />Wildlife species found within the permit area include mule deer (Odocoileus hemionus) <br />antelope (Anti[ocapra americans), and sage grouse (Controcercus urophasianus). Numerous <br />raptor species have been identified in the area. Species include the fernrginous hawk (Buteo <br />regalis), turkey vulture (Cathortes aura), marsh hawk (Cireus cyaneus), American kestrel <br />(Falco sparverius), sharp-shinned hawk (Accipter shiatus), burrowing owl (Spestyto <br />cunieulaira), red-tailed hawk (Buteo jamaicaensus), and golden eagle (Aquila chrysauetos). <br />Bald eagles (Hliaeetus leucocephalus) and peregrine falcons (Falco seregrinus) are known to <br />migrate through the area. Large white-tailed prairie dog (Cyrsomys leucurus) towns exist in <br />the area of the refuse disposal sites. <br />4 <br />