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Giles, 1977). The principal use of water from the alluvial aquifers is <br />for domestic and stock watering purposes; however, permeabilities are <br />sufficient in some areas to support long-term, high-yield wells for <br />municipal and industrial needs and irrigation, particularly in the Yampa <br />River alluvium. Water quality is variable, depending on the underlying <br />rock and source of alluvial material. Dissolved solids concentrations <br />range from 82 to 2,970 mg/1 and the water may contain concentrations of <br />arsenic, iron, manganese, nitrate, selenium, and sulfate in excess of <br />U.S. Public Health Service Drinking Water Standards (Brogden and Giles, <br />1977). <br />Ground water flow in the Upper Yampa River Basin is controlled by the <br />geologic structure, stratigraphy and geomorphology of the general area. <br />The flows of ground water in the rock aquifers are controlled by the <br />structural folding and faulting and stratigraphy while the flows of <br />ground water in the alluvial aquifers are controlled by the geomorphology <br />of the stream valleys and surface water flows. <br />The Twentymile Park Structural Basin controls the regional ground water <br />movement within regionally extensive rock strata in the general area, the <br />Tow Creek sandstone, the Trout Creek sandstone, the Twentymile sandstone, <br />and the strata associated with the coal seams (Figure 3). The regionally <br />extensive rock strata are recharged in the uplands which rim Twentymile <br />Park. The regional rock strata discharge down dip either through the <br />Hayden Syncline northwest to the Sand Wash Basin, or to the surface <br />streams in the Trout Creek system through outcrops and subcrops in the <br />northern and eastern edge of the basin. The regional aquifers are under <br />atmospheric pressure (water table conditions) near their recharge areas <br />and under hydrostatic pressure (artesian conditions) within the basin or <br />at discharge points. Artesian conditions are developed in aquifers which <br />are confined by overlying and underlying strata with low permeabilities. <br />Some wells drilled into the regional aquifers within the basin exhibit <br />flows artesian flows. <br />The faults in the Twentymile Park Basin may provide a conduit (pathway) <br />for ground water communication between overlying and underlying aquifers <br />and also between aquifers and the overlying surface streams. The <br />faulting produces increased fracturing within and between aquifers <br />(secondary porosity). These more porous fault zones with their higher <br />permeabilities can control both vertical and horizontal movement of <br />ground water between and within aquifers. In areas where hydrostatic <br />heads are lower in the underlying aquifers than the overly surface <br />elevation or the hydrostatic heads in overlying aquifers, the vertical <br />movement of water through the fault system would be either upward and <br />discharge to the surface system, or upward and recharge overlying <br />aquifers. Mining at the Foidel Creek mine as of 1986 has not shown any <br />significant flows from fracture zone or faults. The Foidel Creek mine <br />permit application has submitted inflow calculations for faults that may <br />create substantial inflows, although, to date three faults zones have not <br />produced the originally anticipated mine inflows. <br />-36- <br />