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Hydrology File - Foidel Creek Mine - 2 - May 27, 1987 <br />Site 8/2005 characterizes impacts from both the surface mines and the <br />underground mine. Flows have ranged from 0.1 cfs to greater than 52 cfs. <br />This site has perennial flow in response to discharge from the underground <br />mine (1986 average flow of 0.26 cfs). This site has considerably more <br />magnesium than site 14, creating a magnesium sulfate water. Iron, manganese, <br />sulfate and aluminum levels exceed recommended standards and are higher than <br />the upstream site: Total recoverable iron concentrations average 2.6 mg/1 and <br />range from 0.36 - 28 mg/1. Total manganese levels average 0.48 mg/1 and range <br />from 0.03 - 0.87 mg/1: Total recoverable aluminum concentrations average 2.2 <br />mg/1. <br />Fish Creek Drainage <br />The Foidel Creek Mine Hydrologic Monitoring Plan includes sites on Fish Creek <br />in anticipation of future development of a borehole shaft to discharge mine <br />water and portals: There has been no impact to Fish Creek from the Foidel <br />Creek Mine to date: <br />Existing water quality along Fish Creek is influenced by drainage from two <br />immediately adjacent Cyprus reclaimed mines; Mine 2 and Mine 3; and tributary <br />additions draining the existing Seneca II operation and a small section of the <br />unreclaimed Osage Mine area near Milner. Fish Creek flows over a large <br />expanse of Lewis Shale which also impacts the quality: <br />Subsequently, TDS levels downstream are slightly higher than TDS levels <br />upstream. <br />Comparison of Salinity Values of Fish Creek* <br />Site 1986 Historical Average <br />1001 (upstream) 418 + 127 340 + 138+ <br />1002 <br />561 + 178 511 + 212++ <br />1003 (downstream) 712 + 241 625 + 279+ <br />* Values given as mean + standard deviation TDS in mg/1 <br />+ Historical data collected between 4/82 and 12/86 <br />++Historical data collected between 3/79 and 12/86 <br />Although 1986 salinities were higher than historical averages, this is <br />probably a manifestation of lower flows, as 1986 was a moderate flow year <br />preceeded by three high flow years. The downstream site on Fish Creek (1003) <br />typically flows with greater volumes than the upstream site except during <br />low-to-moderate flow summers when irrigation use causes a decrease in <br />downstream flow in comparison with upstream flow. <br />