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The probable impacts to these sites will most likely be observed as a diminution in quantity of water available and a degradation of water quality. The impacts to Springs S-5, a colluvial spring, 5-41, a Williams Fork Formation spring, will be observed as a decrease in quantity of water available and a degradation of water quality. These springs will have their recharge or source areas mined out. Springs S-41 and 5-23 both feed registered stock ponas. 5-41 feeds Temple Pond No. 2, a registered right with the State of Colorado. Spring 5-25 will apparently be mined through in the mid to late 1990's. Spring S-1 may be effected by a redirection of ground water potential toward the backfilled pits. Dependent upon which side of the stream a colluvial spring, 5-23, is located, it may be impacted by mining. If it issues from the southwest bank, its recharge should not be affected. If it issues from the northeast bank, its recharge could be interrupted by mining. Spring 5-23 feeds Temple Pond No. 1, which is also registered. Both Pond Nos. 1 and 2 are number 1838 in basin rank. The applicant will be replacing Pond No. 2 with Sediment Pond 006 as a permanent structure. The other pond is upgradient of mining activities. It will probably be a number of years after mining comes closest to these springs that the effects in quantity and/or quality are observed. Again, this is due to the low transmissivity and storativity values associated with the local strata. Most of these springs are used for stock watering, mining should not prohibit this use, because TDS levels will not surpass EPA limitations for stock watering purposes. Post mining consequences of mining will be the development of spoils aquifers in the backfilled pits. The reclaimed pits will have the highest permeability/porosity values of any local aquifers. The backfilled pits will induce recharge from precipitation and surface runoff, from up gradient in the Williams Fork formation, and from down gradient in the Williams Fork and Wadge coal. Until an Equilibrium is established between the backfilled pits and the surrounding aquifers, a diminution of water quantity may be expected at some springs (S-1, 5-5, 5-23, 5-41) and at Temple Well No. 1. Eventually, springs and seeps will emanate from the topographically lowest points of the reclaimed pits. These waters will be characterized by high levels of iron, manganese, total dissolved solids, and possibly boron. Unless this water is intercepted by holding ponds, it will add flow to the unnamed drainage directly below the mining area and eventually to Hubberson Gulch and Dry Creek. This flow may be expressed as surface flow, or as an increased (elevated) water table, dependent upon local conditions. It is projected that the concentrations of these parameters will decrease with time as the readily dissolvable elements are leached until an equilibrium level is reached. Further discussion of this is found under the Surface Water portion of the Probable Hydrologic Consequences section. -34-