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Section 780.21 (h) Continued. <br />' adjacent area; 2) dilution of TDS conccentrations occurs with <br />increasing distance from the point of recharge; 3) permeability of <br />the affected aquifer is low (see description of aquifer under <br />Section 779.15); and 4) the water within the aquifer is of rela- <br />tively low quality in its baseline condition. For example, as <br />shown in Table 6, Summary of Energy Fuels Corporation Ground Water <br />Quality Characteristics, the mean TDS concentration is 641.1 mg/1; <br />the mean calcium carbonate hardness is 249.8 mg/1; manganese, <br />mercury, TDS and alkalinity exceed, in a baseline condition, the <br />EPA Water Quality Criteria (1976) for domestic supplies. <br />Ground Water Ouantitv Protection <br />Potential Impacts on Ground Water Quantity. Mining activites have <br />the potential of creating changes in the quantity of ground water <br />in terms of depths to piezometric surfaces, permeability, specific <br />• yield, storage capacity and geographical location. The potential <br />mechanisms of impact are: 1) blasting, moving and replacing over- <br />burden aquifers so as to cause physical modification and relocation <br />of recharge or discharge areas; and 2) dewatering caused by pumping <br />ground water from pits or from supply wells for operational require- <br />ments. A detailed discussion on potential impacts is presented in <br />this Section under paragraph (c). The only mining through saturated <br />strata will be within the Eckman Park area; other areas are not <br />saturated, as demonstrated by the Energy Mines No. 1 and 2 Over- <br />burden Aquifer Piezometric Surface (Map 11). <br />Protection and Mitigation. No adverse effects will occur as a <br />result of modifying permeability, specific yield and storage <br />capacity. Because the overburden will be broken up, all of the <br />factors will be increased as discussed in detail under paragraph <br />(c) of this Section. Thus, mining operations will not only <br />restore, but will actually increase premining recharge capacity. <br />• This result is discussed in greater detail under Section 780.21 (c) <br />780-168 <br />