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• Bedrock <br />GROIIND RATER MONITORING <br />Two wells in the Wadge Overburden (which includes the Wadge Coal) <br />are monitored. <br />Water Levels - Levels in the wells have been measured since 1979 <br />(Figures 4 and 5). Water levels in Well 008-79-6 rise abruptly in <br />1980 with a slight increase during the period 1983 through 1986, <br />followed by a slight decrease during the period 1987 through 1992. <br />The abrupt rise in 1980 is probably due to water level recovery in <br />the Wadge Coal and overburden following cessation of mining in the <br />vicinity of this well in 1979 or 1980. The trends from 1983 on <br />appear to follow the overall climatic trend as illustrated in the <br />flow data in Figures 12 and 14. <br />The data reported in Figures 4 and 5 indicate that the water levels <br />in the Wadge overburden varies seasonally: The water levels in the <br />spring are usually higher than in the fall. Seasonal fluctuations <br />in both overburden wells varies as much as 10 feet, although the <br />seasonal fluctuation in Well 008-79-6 appears to have diminished in <br />the time period following 1986.. Water level fluctuations in the <br />nearby alluvial well 008-AV-2 show a similar pattern, suggesting <br />that the seasonal fluctuation and general trend since 1986 are the <br />result of related trends and fluctuations in Foidel Creek and the <br />alluvium. <br />The water level fluctuations and trends in Well 008-77-58 are more <br />difficult to explain. The water levels have dropped abruptly <br />between 1979 and 1980. The reason for the decline is not apparent <br />but may have been related to dewatering during the aborted <br />underground mining at Mine No. 3 (May 79 to June 1980). Water level <br />recoveries, however, are not abrupt and seem to follow the longer <br />term climatic trend, with slight increases for the wetter period <br />1982 through 1986 followed by a slight decrease for the dryer <br />period 1987 through 1992. This is reflected in the flow data shown <br />on Figures 12 and 14. The seasonal fluctuation in Well 008-77-58 <br />do not appear to have diminished in the time period following 1986 <br />like Well 008-77-06, perhaps because it location is more isolated <br />from the streams and associated alluvium. <br />Water Quality - The water quality data for the Wadge Overburden <br />wells are summarized on Tables 4 through 7. Plots of dissolved <br />solids for both wells are presented in Figure 6. There is too much <br />fluctuation in the concentration data prior to 1986 in Well <br />008-77-58 to allow for determination of a background concentration <br />or trend in concentrations. ion composition data indicates a <br />decline in sodium concentrations since 1983. TDS concentrations in <br />both wells appear to have stabilized at around 1000 mg/1 in 1991, <br />with a slight decline in 1992. TDS concentrations in Well 008-79-6 <br />Page 2 <br />