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Mayo and Assoclales, LC <br />• Rollins Sandstone are from discrete groundwater systems. The critical question is what light <br />can the solute data shed on the potential for hydrologic communication between [he various <br />groundwater systems? <br />Landslide springs generally have elevated TDS and greater concentrations of the conservative <br />species SO;- than do springs issuing from the Barren Member. These two facts suggest that <br />the groundwater systems in the landslide springs are not significant recharge sources for <br />groundwater systems in the Barren Member. <br />The general increase of TDS in bedrock groundwater with increasing depth (Figure 6) is <br />consistent the idea of downward vertical migration of water from near surface groundwater <br />• systems to deeper groundwater systems. However, concentrations of the conservative species <br />SO;" suggest that there is not vertical movement of water from Barren Member groundwater <br />systems to groundwater systems associated with F-, E- and B-Seams. The mean SO;" <br />concentra[iou of water in Barren Member wells is 8.67 meq 1-', whereas the mean SO~- <br />concentration of water in coal seam wells is less than 2 meq I-' (Table 3) <br />4.3 Groundwater Ages (aH and 1°C) <br />The concept of groundwater age is difficult to define because water amving at a well or <br />spring seldom travels via pure piston flow. Instead it is usually a mixture of water molecules <br />that recharged at different locations and at different times, thus water has no unique age. It is, <br />therefore, best to think of a groundwater "age" as the mean residence time of the water <br />. molecules sampled at the well or spring. <br />Characterization of Groundwater Systems in the Vicinity of the West Elk Mine, Somerset, Colorado <br />29 January 1999 <br />Page 34 <br />