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Bowie Resources Limited=s baseline surface water collection for the permit area consisted of <br />reviewing existing baseline studies on the area, compiling a list of water rights on file with the <br />State Engineer, identifying water resources using aerial photographs, and actual on-the-ground <br />surveys. In the 1988 Findings, only one concern with the baseline study, that pertained to a <br />proposed azea to be mined outside that five-year permit term, was noted. CWI had not obtained <br />right of entry to conduct on-the-ground baseline surveys on two tracts of land totalling 286 acres <br />within the East Roatcap Creek drainage basin. COVCC obtained the required rights of entry <br />during 1992-93 and performed ground reconnaissance for surface water sources on these areas as <br />baseline data for Permit Revision No. 3. <br />The Bowie No. 1 Mine permit area is drained by Eas[ Roatcap Creek, West Roatcap Creek, Main <br />Roatcap Creek, Steven's Gulch, Coal Gulch, and Terror Creek, all of which are tributaries to the <br />North Fork of the Gunnison (Figure 3). <br />Terror Creek is a perennial stream with an aquatic community that includes some trout. The <br />stream has a high gradient channel with riparian vegetation and alluvium confined to narrow <br />bands along the channel. <br />Steven's Gulch, East Roatcap Creek, and Coal Gulch are intermittent to ephemeral drainages that <br />only flow part of the year. Localized deposits of colluvial material reworked by fluvial processes <br />are present within the general area, primarily within the Steven's Gulch, West Fork Terror Creek, <br />and Roatcap Creek drainages. These deposits are generally 20 to 30 acres in size and provide <br />industrial (Steven's Gulch), domestic (Long Draw), and agricultural (Morrell Cow Camp) water <br />sources (page 39, Section 2.04.7 of Volume 1). Several smaller occurrences of saturated <br />alluvial/colluvial deposits are associated with the streams in the permit area; however, none of <br />these is currently supporting agricultural use. <br />The flow of water in Terror Creek and in the North Fork of the Gunnison River is strongly <br />influenced by irrigation structures along these stream courses. The Overland Ditch intercepts and <br />distributes water from the upper reaches of Terror Creek. The flow in the North Fork is <br />controlled by Paonia Reservoir and water withdrawals by several irrigation ditches -the Fire <br />Mountain Canal, Stewart Ditch, Farmers Ditch, and Paonia Ditch. In addition, there are two <br />pipelines that will withdraw water from the Steven's Gulch Well Field. The first is currently in <br />operation and is operated by the Pi[kin Mesa Pipeline Company. The second pipeline carries <br />water from the Steven's Gulch Well Field to the site of the proposed Roatcap Creek portal <br />facility. <br />There are many springs and numerous ponds within the permit and hydrologically adjacent azea <br />of the Bowie No. 1 Mine. It appears that most of these springs and ponds are intermittent and <br />depend upon seasonal precipitation and long-term weather patterns. The source of most of the <br />springs appears to be related to landslide complexes, faults and fractures, areas of colluvium/ <br />alluvium where ground water has accumulated, or the discharge points at the contact of the <br />Rollins sandstone with the lenticular sandstones of the Mesaverde Formation. <br />Water Rights and Replacement -Rules 2.04.7(3), 2.05.6(3)(ii), 2.07.6(2)(c), 4.05.15 <br />16 <br />