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During a site visit in December. 1982. water entered Newlin Creek where <br />' the stream crossed the Trinidad Sandstone on the northeastern side of the <br />Chandler syncline. This entry of water into Newlin Creek from the <br />' sandstone confirms the conclusion derived from the observation well data <br />that ground water movement ie to the northeast. Newlin Creek is mainly a <br />' losing stream in this reach because the stream channel became dry again a <br />short distance dowstream. These observations were confirmed by <br />' etreamflow measurements completed in August. 1986. Hewlin Creek gained <br />' vatez in the area of the Trinidad Sandstone aubcrop and was a losing <br />stream in the areas of the Vermejo Formation. upstream from the Trinidad. <br />' and the Pierre Shale. dowetream of the Trinidad. The entire reach of <br />Newlin Creek from the City of Florence~s diversion to the stream's <br />' confluence with Hardscrabble Creek, a distance of nine miles. is dry most <br />of the year. due to the City~s diversions. <br />' Figures 6 and 7 are schematic diagrams that illustrate hydrologic <br />conditions prior to sad during mining, respectively. The principal <br />' sources of recharge are direct precipitation on the subcrop or outcrop and <br />surface runoff from streams originating in the Wet Mountains. During <br />' mining, water enters the mine cavity through irregularly distributed <br />fractures in the formation and from adjacent abandoned mine works. and as <br />a result. the potentiometric surface of the coal being mined is lowered. <br />The mine cavity intercepts the water before it is discharged to the land <br />surface. However. water is pumped from the mine. used for different <br />' purposes, partly consumptively used and then a portion is returned to the <br />stream system. This may result in a gain to the stream system during <br />' mining. A review of the monitor well water Levels for the period of <br />record indicates that no overall trend ezists that shove declines in the <br />' water levels at the wells have occurred since current mining activity <br />started in 1979. This shows that the eztent of lowered water levels as a <br />result of mining is confined to the immediate vicinity of the mining <br />' area. <br />' - 13 - <br />