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-21- Two mines in the reyidn draw water frog, the alluvium of tributaries to the North Furk: the Blue Ribbon Mine draws from the alluvium of Hubbard Creek and the Urchard Valley Mine draws water from the alluviwn of Stevens Gulch. Pumpiny tests conducted oy Colorado Westmoreland Incorporated at the urchard Valley Mine indicate that the Stevens Gulci, alluvium could support a pumpiny rate of 28 ypm. Terror Creek may nave alluvial aquifers that could be developed as water supplies. However, no detailed analysis of this alluvium has been conducted. The Terror Creek alluvium may be used as a source of water at ti,e Morrell Cow Cainp to the north of the Urchard Valley .Mine. At present Terror creek alluvial areas are outside the area to oe affected oy any of the operations. Blue R1Ubon5' alluvial well in Hubbard Creek yields approximately 8 gallons per minute for dust suppression and oathhouse use at the mine. This yield is probably unnaturally hiyh due to the recharye influence of the adjacent sedimentation ua~n. The areas of alluvium upstream and downstream from the mine are small and discontinuous because the meandering channel of Huobard Creek isolates these areas of alluvial deposits and suocrops of resistant sandstones. Water quality analysis for the Stevens Gulch used oy the Urchard Valley f4ine well water indicates good quality water, with none of the parameters exceeding the recoimnended drinking water standards. The water quality for the Hubbard Creek well water is fair to poor and contains total dissolved solids and sodium levels wr,ich exceed secondary water quality standards for drinkiny water. This is why this water is only used for dust suppression and oathhouse water. Urinkiny water at the mine is trucked in. Occurrences of ground water have seen noted in the Mesaverde Formation from information obtained from drilliny, experience in the mines, and from the presence of springs and seeps in the reyioh. This infur~nation indicates that the only potential regional bedrock aquifer in the general area is the laterally continuous Rollins sandstone. Tne laterally discontinuous lenticular sandstones within the Upper hlesaverde Formation support only localized yround water flows. Recharge to the Rollins sandstone and other water bearing sandstones primarily occurs directly alony outcrops, alony subcrops beneath stream alluvium and in the channels of the fJOrth Fork and its tributaries. However, due to the steepness of the topography in the outcrop areas (i.e, sandstones are cliff formers) and the narrowness of the stream valleys, the Rollins sandstone receives little recharye, except in the area under the North Fork of the Gunnison River and its associated alluvial deposits.