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temperature fluctuation in Well WR-1 is somewhat greater than expected <br />suggesting the flow to the perched aquifer, although subsurface, is very <br />shallow. <br />Specific Conductivity/Total Dissolved Solids <br />Specific conductivity (Figure 23) and total dissolved solids (Figure 24) <br />values for the three alluvial wells have remained fairly constant over the <br />period of record, except for 1995. While Conductivity and TDS values at sites <br />TR-3 and TR-4 are consistent with values obtained during the baseline studies, <br />these parameters and several others have elevated rapidly and remained <br />elevated at TR-1.5. The source of the elevated values is not readily <br />identifiable. However, a few factors that may be contributing to the elevated <br />levels have been observed. First, The area surrounding TR-1.5 was inundated <br />with water from beaver dam building activity in the early summer. This <br />activity may have enabled the alluvial water to become stagnant and allowed an <br />increase in the concentrations of various constituents due to a longer <br />residence time. The beaver dam was removed and the area had drained by mid- <br />• summer. Second, shortly after the area had drained a telephone cable was <br />buried in the alluvial valley floor immediately upstream of TR-1.5 which may <br />have disturbed the alluvial soils. If the elevated Conductivity and TDS <br />levels are primarily the result of the previously mentioned activities, it is <br />anticipated that the concentrations will return to more historic levels during <br />future monitoring periods. As previously discussed in the surface water <br />section, data taken between October 1990 and August 1992 is believed to be <br />invalid due to instrument errors. <br />Conductivity and TDS values in Well WR-1 have progressed from elevated <br />levels each spring to lower concentrations in the fall for the past several <br />years. This phenomenon is caused by infiltration of snowmelt water leaching <br />various minerals within the unsaturated zone of reclaimed spoil. As the <br />enriched flow is released over the course of the summer, the conductivity <br />values lessen to that of the stagnant saturated zone. In late 1995, the <br />levels of Conductivity and TDS decreased significantly. <br />This phenomenon may be explained by at least two possible scenarios. <br />First, a significant portion of the runoff on West Ridge no longer infiltrates <br />directly into the spoil and becomes enriched prior to being discharged at the <br />• downslope spring due to the construction of the terraces. Instead, water is <br />directed to the West Ridge Pond where subsurface leakage from the pond may <br />32 <br />