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GROUND WATETt FgNITORING <br />Bedrock <br />Wells in the Wadge Overburden (which includes the Wadge Coal) and the overlying <br />Twentymile Sandstone are monitored.The underlying Trout Creek Sandstone will be <br />monitored in the future. Three wells in the Wadge Overburden aquifer and two <br />9 wells in the Twentymile Sandstone are monitored. <br />Water Levels - Water levels have been measured in Well 006-82-48A since 1982 <br />(Figure 3). No significant trend related to the underground mining has been <br />observed. Prior to the opening of the underground mine the measured water levels <br />J were very erratic. Since mid-1984 the water levels have been fairly constant. <br />The linear regression analysis indicates a water level decline rate of <br />approximately aft/Yr during this period. This rate is too small to be <br />significant. Well 006-81-30 is a flowing well and was recently capped. Pressure <br />~ readings will be taken in the future. <br />Water levels in Wadge Overburden aquifer wells 006-82-38 (Figure 4) and 006-82-48 <br />(Figure 5) have been measured since 1982. The data since 1984 in Well 006-82-38 <br />indicates a slight but not significant water level decline. The data for the same <br />I period for We]1 006-82-48, which is closer to the mining, indicates a steady water <br />level rise until October 1986. Further measurements will be required to determine <br />whether the October, 1986 decline represents a trend. Other than that reading no <br />impact from underground mining is evident in the water level data. The data <br />' indicates that the water levels in the Wadge overburden vary seasonally: the water <br />levels in the summer are higher than in the winter. No such trend was observed in <br />l the Twentymile Sandstone. <br />1 <br />Water Quality - The water quality data for the Twentymile Sandstone wells is <br />1 summarized on Tables 5 to 8. A plot of dissolved solids is presented on Figure <br />J 6. The plot does not indicate any trends that appear related to the underground <br />1 mining. Both wells have a dissolved solids concentration of approximately 600 <br />i mg/L. This in within the range expected for the unaffected aquifer. The data <br />' does not Indicate any significant changes in the trace metal concentrations. <br />