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<br />organisms have recovered well. The potential impact created by spills <br />should be alleviated in a well-developed mining plan. <br />Another potential direct impact of the proposed mine involves the water <br />collection system. If the system were a direct xithdrewal from the <br />river, young fish could be impinged and mortality occur. The proposed <br />method of xater gallery or well withdrawal xould totally alleviate this <br />problem. <br />Perhaps the major impact of the proposed action is the effect of <br />withdrawing water from the White River. The maximum withdrawal of 0.3 <br />• cfs is rather small when compared to the normal flows of the river. But <br />during critical low flow periods, as in July of 1977, the 0.3 cfs <br />withdrawal may represent about one percent of the river's flow. <br />Therefore, during low flows, the proposed withdrawal may impact the <br />aquatic ecosystem to an unknown extent. It is suspected that the loss <br />of 0.3 cfs would not be a significant factor to the White River system <br />by itself. <br />The cumulative impact of several small xater xithdrawels may seriously <br />impact the White River fauna. Reduced flows, especially during lox flow <br />periods, could seriously alter the habitat present in the study section. <br />The greatest change xould probably occur in substrate type, where the <br />cobble would be replaced by sands and silts es a result of the decreased <br />• velocity created by the reduction in flox. Depth would also be lowered <br />and temperature could be expected to rise because of the slower, more <br />II.G-31 <br />