REP16265

• Permit No: C1981022
• IBM Index Class Name: Report
• Doc Date: 2/2/1995
• Doc Name: 1994 AHR
• Annual Report Year: 1994
• Permit Index Doc Type: HYDROLOGY REPORT
• Media Type: D
• Archive: No

Somerset Mining Company
' 1994 Annual Hydrologic Report
area below Old Highway 133. No flow was recorded for Spring 11 in
1992 and 1993. In May of 1994, water began to collect in the road
cut above Old Highway 133. This was monitored and an elevated
conductivity and temperature was measured. Flow was recorded in
June and July, but the conductivity and temperature measurements
' decreased. Water damage to the pavement of Old Highway 133 had
occurred next to the re-emergence of Spring 11, and between the
July and August monitoring events, the Colorado Department of
' Transportation performed maintenance of the roadway and ditch in
the area of Springs 10 & 11. Both Springs 10 and 11 were dry at
the time of the August monitoring, with re-emergence of Spring 10
by October and Spring 11 by December. Roadway maintenance impacts
' to Springs 10 and 11 by the Colorado Department of Transportation
are beyond the control of Somerset Mining Company.
The source of all springs, except Spring 6, is precipitation or
snowmelt. This water infiltrates and percolates downward until the
water encounters a coarse zone or aquiclude which causes the water
to surface as a spring. The primary use of the springs is by
wildlife. The only spring to consistently contribute to surface
flow into the North Fork of the Gunnison is Spring 8. All other
spring surface flow, if any, returns to the ground before reaching
' the North Fork of the Gunnison.
Springs 1 through 7 are accessible from the Coal Gulch trail, a
' rough, rocky, steep primitive road. Primary means of
transportation to the area is by four-wheel-drive Jeep, ATV,
horseback, and foot. Although the trail is public access, it is
not maintained. Other users of the trail include hunters,
' livestock grazers, and the government. Springs 8 through 11 are
located along Old Highway 133 and are readily accessible by normal
transportation.
' Springs 1 through 6 were monitored April through October. SMC
personnel use an ATV to access the spring sites. Springs 7 through
' 11 were monitored monthly, although access to Spring 7 during
January, February, and December required foot travel through snow
and ice conditions and during November required foot travel through
the mud. The sample point for Spring 8, the Oliver Mine, was
' located at the north end of a culvert in place under Old Highway
133. It was frozen and snow covered during both times sampling was
attempted during January and February. As a result of Notice of
' Violation C-94-007, Spring 8 was monitored at the south (discharge)
end of the culvert, which required breaking through the ice to
obtain a sample in December. This slight change in monitoring
' location probably resulted in the lower temperature measurements
for November and December compared to the historical data.
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