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-21- <br />'I• Summary <br />j The ground water system at the Colowyo nine does not appear to <br />be a continuous system, but rather a series of perched aquifers, <br />slowly draining by gravity to the next lowest level. There <br />appears to be as many aquifers as there are sandstone units <br />through which the ground water is continually flowing and re- <br />emerging into the surface water system through springs and seeps <br />along the sides of stream canyons. The residence time of the <br />ground water in any particular aquifer does not seem to be very <br />long, as evidenced by the seasonal nature of the flows of <br />t springs and by the large variation in water quality in and be- <br />i tween springs and wells. <br />[. <br />The overall quality of the ground and surface water systems has <br />not changed since the advent of mining operations and no con- <br />- tamination of the system is evidenced. The potential exists, <br />II however, for contamination at two sites; below the fill in <br />l~ Streeter Canyon and near the train load-out area. The potential <br />L for contamination at other sites mentioned is extremely small <br />due to the minor volume of water at each site and the effective <br />decrease of the infiltration capacity of each area by the very <br />fine sediment size in the ponds and pit. These areas do not <br />need to be monitored. There is, however, possibly a need to <br />L monitor water quality below the fill in Streeter Gulch and near <br />the train load-out. <br />L Prepared by: 2eviecaed by: <br />l <br />L ~ ~~-C.~Y z z~ ~~ <br />Gayle E. Bradbeer Robert E. Brogden <br />Geohydrologist Vice President <br />~ GEB/REB/sw <br />461CWY01 <br />t <br />Leonard Rice Consulting Water 4ngineers.lnc <br />