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• ranges from about 55 to 80 days. Additional climatological data is contained in Tabs 8 <br />and 9 (Pages 2-6) of this permit application package (PAP). <br />Ceol ogY. A detailed discussion of the Seneca II Mine geology is presented in Tab 6 of <br />this PAP. Appropriate sections are summarized in the following text. <br />The study area structurally lies on the southeastern extension of the Tow Creek Anticline, <br />a south-southwest trending geologic structure with steeply dipping flanks. The coal <br />reserves of the study area occur in the Middle Coal Group between the Trout Creek <br />sandstone member of the Cretaceous Iles formation and the Twentymile sandstone member of <br />the Williams Fork formation. The Iles formation contains a thick sequence of <br />Iedge-forming sandstones interbedded with sandy shale, shale, and coal beds, with a <br />prominent ledge-forming sandstone named the Trout Creek sandstone member. The Williams <br />Fork formation is similar in characteristics and bedding attitude to the Iles formation <br />with a persistent cliff-forming white sandstone named the Twentymile sandstone member. <br />The resistant sandstone beds consist chiefly of well sorted, fine grain quartz minerals <br />with admixtures of fine feldspathic minerals and some clay. Together the Williams Fork <br />• and Iles formations comprise the Mesaverde Croup. <br />The Mesaverde Group forms steep slopes and cliffs with bare ledges of sandstone. Long dip <br />slopes are formed in many areas by interbedded thin soft sandstones and sandy shales. The <br />steeper slopes are generally covered by thick deposits of fine textured toll uvium. Areas <br />of soft shale generally form gently rounded grass-covered ridges and knobs. <br />Geomorphology. The study area lies adjacent in an easterly direction to the Seneca II <br />Mine. The center of the tract is located about six miles southeast of Hayden, Colorado. <br />Two ephemeral drainages dissect the study area flowing northeasterly and southeasterly, <br />respectively. Numerous small ponds have been created by man and beaver along these <br />drainages. Both of these ephemeral drainages comprise Bond Drainage which eventually <br />empties into Fish Creek about four miles east of the study area. <br /> Steep to very steep sandstone bedrock controlled mountain sideslopes with evenly spaced <br /> ephemeral drainages comprise much of the eastern and northwestern portions of the study <br /> area. The long slop ing landforms of these areas roughly coincide with the strike and dip <br />• of the underlying bedrock. Rounded shale knobs and ridges are common along the <br /> north/south portion of Bond Drainage. Two large remnant sandstone ledges and outcrops <br /> occur on the eastern side of the study area. <br /> 9-6-6 Revised 05/16/88 <br />