GENERAL44936

• Permit No: C1981018
• IBM Index Class Name: General Documents
• Doc Date: 5/13/2002
• Doc Name: FED MINE PLAN APPROVAL DOCUMENT 7/21/92
• Permit Index Doc Type: Other Permits
• Media Type: D
• Archive: No

The Williams Fork Formation is divided into three hydrologic units: The
Sandstone Facies, which underlies the "A' coal seam and is generally
• equivalent to the Trout Creek Sandstone and the upper portion of the Iles
Formation; the Siltstorte and Coal Facies, which consists of the interbedded
coal, siltstone, and shale strata of the Lower Williams Fork Formation; and
the upper Sandstone Facies of the Upper Williams Fork Formation.
A fourth hydrologic unit is the alluvium of the White River and its
tributaries. The maximum thickness of the White River Alluvium near the
permit area was found to be 37 feet. Groundwater in the alluvium occurs 1n an
unconfined condition.
No major usage of groundwater 1n or adjacent to the permit area has been
defined by the permittee. Due to the generally low yield and poor quality of
aquifers in the region, high groundwater usage would be unusual. Recharge of
the bedrock aquifers occurs primarily at higher elevations north of the permit
area through infiltration of precipitation in outcrop areas. Discharge is
primarily through seeps where aquifers are erosionally exposed along the White
River.
Western Fuels has developed an alluvial well field near the confluence of
Scullion Gulch and the White River. This alluvial water is used for mine
operations. In 1984, Kenney Reservoir was completed above Rangely, Colorado.
Kenney Reservoir impounds the White River through the southern portion of the
permit area, inundating Western Fuels-Utah's alluvial well field, and its
alluvial monitoring wells. Since the alluvial surface is almost completely
submerged by the reservoir, recharge to the well field 1s now instantaneous.
• Movement of the Mesa Verde groundwater is controlled by the Red Wash Syncline
and major fracture zones located along Red Wash, Scullion Gulch, and the White
River. Groundwater in the northwest part of the permit area moves down dip to
the Red Wash Syncline. Within the central and southern portion of the permit
area, groundwater flows south to the White River.
Surface water drainage patterns fn the area are incised and dendritic.
scullion Gulch and Red Wash flow primarily in response to direct
precipitation. The White River 1s a perennial stream receiving discharge
from the permit and adjacent areas. The majority of flows in the White
River occur between May and July in response to snowmelt.
Solis in the area include the Cushman, Forelle, Pine111, Potts, Satanka and
Worfka series, which are developed on ridge tops; ridge sideslopes, and in
valley fans. Underdeveloped soils such as Colorado, Haverson alkali phase,
Kinnear, Moyerson, Redcreek, Rentsac, and Turley variant occur on low
floodplains, extreme ridge tops, and upper ridge sideslopes.
Eight plant communities have been identified in the permit area to be affected
by surface operations and facilities. Vegetation communities consist of
juniper woodland, juniper woodland-big sagebrush, big sagebrush, big
sagebrush-wheatgrass, western wheatgrass, Colorado wildrye, cheatgrass-annual
forb, and big sagebrush-greasewood. These communities Comprise a mosaic
controlled by soil type, topography, and past and present land uses.
~~ Principal }and use has been sheep winter range, resulting in overgrazing of
• much of the permit area. The area is now characterized by a predominance of
disturbed vegetation types that are successional or dysclimactic in character.
_a_