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recently as 1985 have shown that the primary source of inflows are <br /> from fractures in areas of low overburden. <br /> As previously described in this document, MCC encountered a large <br /> inflow of water while mining through a fault/fracture system in the <br /> B East Mains. As of the date of this findings document, MCC <br /> continues to experience mine inflow in the Sylvester Gulch area of the <br /> mine. The Division is conducting an ongoing review of the situation. <br /> Since the geologic strata dips to the northeast, one would expect the <br /> ground water to flow in the same direction. The monitoring wells <br /> generally support this, but there are exceptions. Some wells are dry, <br /> indicating no ground water flow and other wells that are closely <br /> spaced but completed at different portions of the Barren Member have <br /> water levels that vary greatly. This may indicate the discontinuity of <br /> the water bearing strata. Generally, springs in the permit area seem to <br /> act independently of the bedrock water leasing zones and appear to be <br /> surface features related to weathered and fractured bedrock. Flow <br /> from these springs tend to be highly ephemeral and only discharge <br /> during spring snow melt. These springs recharge and discharge in <br /> relatively small areas. <br /> Inflows from faults and fractures located outside stream valleys <br /> generally dry up with time or flow intermittently at discrete points <br /> along the fault or fracture. Those which continue to flow have flow <br /> rates which diminish to a trickle. Such inflows may represent the <br /> dewatering of lenticular sandstone units with limited recharge areas, or <br /> may represent flows through fracture zones extending to the surface <br /> which have narrow recharge zones on steep slopes. <br /> Discharge of ground water occurs through numerous seeps and springs. <br /> Over 100 springs are located in the life-of-mine area. The locations of <br /> these springs can be found on Map 37 and 37A, Springs and Stock <br /> Ponds Location and Springs and Ponds, Jumbo Mountain, respectively. <br /> c. Surface Water <br /> The North Fork of the Gunnison River is the major drainage for the <br /> mine area. Smaller streams in or adjacent to the life-of-mine areas are <br /> all tributary to the North Fork. Figure 2 of this document contains the <br /> drainage map of the study area with the locations of streams and <br /> reservoirs which are described in the following discussion. <br /> The North Fork has an average annual streamflow at Somerset of <br /> approximately 313,500 acre-feet per year (1962-1979). The flow is <br /> regulated by the Paonia Reservoir on Muddy Creek five miles <br /> upstream of the town of Somerset. The reservoir became operational <br /> in 1962. Water yields during that period have ranged from a high of <br /> 29 <br />