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surface information was supplemented with average 2001 ground water level elevations <br />measured in Seneca II-W South area monitoring wells and historic information from South area <br />coreholes. The saturated thicknesses of the overburden units were estimated to be 35 feet for <br />the Sage Creek overburden, and 58 feet for the Wolf Creek overburden. Water level data and <br />the lithologic log from well WSOV24, as well as lithologic logs from coreholes 1916, 4216, <br />4756 and 7646 were used to calculate the saturated thickness of the Sage Creek overburden. <br />Wells WWCOV24, WWC3, WWU3E and WWC4, completed down dip of the proposed Sage <br />Creek/Wolf Creek mining area, were used to calculate the saturated thickness of the Wolf Creek <br />overburden. The saturated thickness values for the coal seams were assumed to be equal to the <br />average seam thickness; this methodology is consistent with the original permit. The average <br />Sage Creek coal seam was calculated to 4.4 feet (see Tab 6, App. 6-11. The Wolf Creek coal <br />saturated thickness value was calculated to be 26 feet. <br />Table 17-30 summarizes aquifer characteristics values used in the Darcy analysis. The original <br />permit included overburden and coal aquifer characteristics for the Wadge ground water system. <br />Several Seneca II-W monitoring wells included in the original permit had aquifer test results for <br />the Wolf Creek ground water system. Where possible, Seneca II-W aquifer test results were <br />used to define the Wolf Creek aquifer characteristics. SCC has not conducted aquifer tests on <br />the Sage Creek ground water system at Seneca II-W. The Yoast Mine permit, however, includes <br />aquifer characteristics for the Wadge underburden; this unit is equivalent to Sage Creek <br />overburden. It has been assumed that the Yoast Mine Wadge underburden characteristics are <br />representative of Sage Creek overburden characteristics at the Seneca II-W South area. Where <br />aquifer test results are not available le.g., Sage Creek coall, the most liberal values that SCC <br />calculated in the existing permit were used. While this may not represent actual aquifer <br />characteristics, this method provides a conservative worst-case-scenario. <br />Mean values for hydraulic conductivity from the Seneca II-W area were used in the Wadge and <br />Wolf Creek analyses. The hydraulic conductivity value for Wadge underburden from the Yoast <br />Mine was assumed to be characteristic of Sage Creek overburden. The Sage Creek coal <br />hydraulic conductivity was conservatively assumed to be similar to the Wadge coal hydraulic <br />conductivity value. The hydraulic gradient values were calculated from the potentiometric <br />surface maps of the water-bearing units. Storativity values calculated from aquifer tests within <br />the overburden units in the Seneca II-W area (Wadge units) range from 10-2 <br />87 Revised 1/02 <br />