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sites and the 2,000 mg/7 TDS standard was exceeded at three sites. All of the spring <br />sites had at least one exceedence for livestock water quality standards, and thus the <br />majority of sites are rendered unsuitable for livestock. <br />Regional Surface Water Characteristics <br />The Seneca II-W Mine is drained principally by Dry Creek to the west and north, and by <br />Sage Creek to the east (see Exhibit 13-4, Tab 13, Facilities). Both creeks are perennial <br />tributaries of the Yampa River which in turn flows into the Green River and finally into <br />the Colorado River. These river systems are explained thoroughly in lorns' et. al. (1965) <br />USGS Professional Paper, Water Resources of the Upper Colorado River Basin-Technical <br />Report, <br />In this report, these river drainages are placed in the Green Division of the Upper <br />Colorado River Basin and in the subdivision comprised of the Yampa River Basin. Because <br />of the gradual increase in the development of rvater resources within the Grand Division in <br />this century, streamflow records used for this report (1914-1957) were adjusted to reflect <br />the level of water use developments (diversions, dams, irrigation, etc.) that existed in <br />1957. Although the 1957 levels of development varied from basin to basin, the adjustments <br />made in the reported streamflow records were useful for comparing stream characteristics <br />for the changes in streamflow and water quality caused by the increased devc lopments. <br />Since little additional activity (diversions, dams, irrigation, etc.) has occurred within <br />the Yampa River Basin since 1957, the information presented in lorns' et. al. (1965) <br />report is considered to be representative of present conditions. <br />Regional Surface Water Flow. The precipitation that falls on the Yampa River Basin <br />(within the Creen Division of the Upper Colorado River Basin) is generated from large air <br />masses originating from the Pacific Ocean and the Culf of Mexico. The Pacific air masses <br />dominate from October through April, and the air masses that originate in the Culf of <br />11exico dominate from late spring through early fall. The higher streamflows within the <br />Yampa River Basin largely result from snomme It during late spring and early summer. By <br />late July, most stream discharges recede [o ba seflow. ContribuCion to stream discharges <br />from infrequent summer thunderstorms are minimal. Groundwater discharge from localised <br />aquifers provide ba seflow to streams during summer and through the fall. <br />Figure 7-11 is a hydrograph showing [he seasonal pattern of runoff in the Yampa River at <br />SS <br />