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• J8 • <br />Like other Front-Range streams it floods periodically. The flow <br />becomes low and intermittent in late summer and fall, Table J-1, Figure J-5. <br />As the mining area is well above the flood plain, it should not be affected <br />by high water. <br />Ground water on August 6, 1973 was well below the bottom of the coarse <br />surficial deposits but well above the bottom of the minabl=_ clay (Figures <br />J2 and J6). An underground seep was opened up by the northwesternmost pit <br />(Figure J7). Samples of the ground water, and of Coal Cre~~k waters, were <br />collected on August 8, 1973 and analyzed fora number of p;irameters that <br />were selected to be indicative of general water quality (T~~ble J2). They <br />are compared with state standards for a B-2 class stream where applicable. <br />Coal Creek is classified B-2 by the Colorado Department of Health, 1974. <br />The water in the pits was of good quality except that it was marginally <br />acid for warm water fish. Coal Creek, however, was. equall;i acid, so any <br />water spills into Coal Creek should not impair the quality of the Creek water. <br />In summary, as long as the clay mining is restricted to areas which <br />are above the flood plain of Coal Creek, clay mining should have no impact on <br />surface waters, and no material impact on ground water. 'fhe ground water <br />that accumulates in the open pits, however, has a potentia'I for either ecologic <br />benefits, or damages, depending upon the ultimate use of the sites. <br />ATMOSPHERE <br />Refer to pages 19-33 <br />~~ <br />