1994-12-29_GENERAL DOCUMENTS - C1980007

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In addition, on the fee surface within the application area there are five adjudicated water rights. Within a mile of the tract boundary there are seven adjudicated water rights (see Map 4) . • The rights are for springs, reservoirs, ponds, wells., and ditches. Ground Water The potential for ground water occurrence, on the lease tract, exists in both the Mesaverde Formation and unconsolidated quaternary surface deposits of colluvium/alluvium. Within the Mesaverde Formation both the Rollins Sandstone and various coal members, depending on secondary porosity, can transmit ground water. However, with the geologic dip of the Mesaverde Formation being roughly 3.5 degrees to the north-northeast, ground water recharge would be limited to the aquifer along the southern flanks of Jumbo Mountain or from the 3-4 faults identified crossing the lease tract. All but two of the springs, reservoirs, ponds and ditches mentioned in the Surface Water section are topographically higher than the coal seam proposed for development and other potential hydrogeologic units in the Mesaverde Formation. The springs are most likely associated with surface quaternary deposits and/or local fault systems. There are no special floodplains, municipal watersheds or National Resources Waters located on the proposed lease tract. • J. Socioeconomic The proposed lease tract is located in both Delta and Gunnison Counties and most of the workers live in Delta County and the mine buys locally as much as possible. These local expenditures by the mine affect mainly Delta County. Delta County, thus, is the focus of the economic impact area analysis. Between 1980 and 1990, Delta County experienced changes in its population. The 1980 population was 21,225 and the 1985 population was 23, 466. The 1990 census puts the population at 20,980, a decrease of one percent over the 1980 population count. See Table 1 for the population of towns in Delta County. The Colorado Division of Local Government has made population projections for the period 1990-2015. Delta County is projected to have a population of 22 ,280 by 2015 or a .6.2 percent increase over 1990. Employment for Delta County increased from 7,600 in 1989 to 8,124 in 1990 or. a 7 percent increase according to data from the Bureau of - Economic Analysis. Mining employment was 345 in 1980 and dropped to 98 by 1989, a 72 percent decrease. In 1989 mining employment represented one percent of the county's employment. Mining earnings were 10.8 million in 1980 and decreased to 4.6 million- by 1989. Mining earnings represented 13 percent of non . farm earnings in 1980 and 4 percent of non farm earnings in 1989. Page 11