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• S r~~_ <br />Spring water quality in the Seneca II-W complex has been monitored since 1979. Details of <br />the monitoring history on a site by site basis is described in Tab 15. Historical <br />geochemical data from individual samples collected at each site, statistical water <br />chemistry information, and graphical illustrations of quality and chemistry are presented <br />in Appendix 7-7, The Seneca II-W spring monitoring network and historical water quality <br />sampling record are shown in Table 7-22. <br />Three primary drainage basins are monitored for spring water quality. These drainages <br />include Sage Creek, Dry Creek, and Hubberson Gulch. The first inventory of springs and <br />seeps in the area was conducted in July, 1979. Information from the survey is described <br />in Appendix 7-7, and the sites are shown in Exhibit 7-b. Forty-nine sites were examined, <br />consisting of 31 springs and 1B seeps. Only Sites 51, 55, S7, 523, 541, and 545 comprise <br />the current spring water quality monitoring network for the Seneca II-W Mine. The three <br />major drainage basins contain at least one monitored spring within the basin's boundaries <br />(see Table 7-22 ). <br />• <br />Although natural spring water contains dissolved and suspended particles, only samples <br />with complete analyses for dissolved ions were used to evaluate the actual water quality <br />at the Seneca II-W complex. Those samples with only total analyte concentrations may lead <br />to erroneous interpretations of quality and chemistry, since the true composition of an <br />aqueous solution is defined by the homogeneous mixture of water and solute in the <br />dissolved state (Hem, 1985). Exceptions to the use of dissolved analytes involves water <br />quality standards for total Fe and Mn, and other specific trace elements (see section on <br />spring water suitability). <br />Most spring sites are located in low-lying areas of drainage basins. Approximately 40 <br />sites constitute a natural flow of perched water from storage in drainage alluvium, <br />whereas 9 sites appear to discharge water from bedrock units. Stock ponds have been <br />constructed downg ra dient of seeps at some sites to collect water for livestock. As <br />described in the 1984 Annual Hydrology Report for Seneca II-W, Site 545 was determined to <br />be standing alluvial ground water in a three-foot culvert well, instead of a spring. <br />• Spring and seep morphology is variable depending on the amount of flow that is produced at <br />67 <br />