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L <br />sampling points, all show peak concentrations coinciding with spring runoff, <br />as would be expected. As with TD S, all three cations show general increases <br />in concentration as the water passes active mining areas. While trends in <br />their subsequent dilution downstream have yet to form a consistent pattern, <br />little or no dilution in the calcium and magnesium concentrations have <br />occurred between sampling points TR-C and TR-D, except a calcium reading in <br />mid-1988, since 1987, For 1990 and 1991, it is believed that this is due to <br />the Moffat area mining activities. However, as this occurrence existed prior <br />to these activities, the trend may also suggest that inflow from undisturbed <br />areas downstream of TR-C contains approximately the same concentrations of <br />these parameters as runoff from the mine. As the Moffat area mining <br />activities initiated in 1990 are directly adjacent to TR-C, it. is expected <br />this pattern will continue. Since 1989, sodium concentrations, unlike calcium <br />and magnesium, have decreased from TA-C to TR-D. while cause is unknown, this <br />current pattern appears to be seasonal, as dilution increases from spring to <br />fall. <br />As noted in previous annual hydrology reports, upstream of the mine on <br />Trout Creek, bicarbonate (Figure 5) is the major anion with sulfate (Figure 5) <br />concentrations increasing rapidly along the mine area to become predominating <br />downstream. The sulfate levels increase is most markedly noticed prior to the <br />peak flow period of Trout Creek and adjacent to mining activity, as are TDS <br />levels in general. This increase is probably caused by early runoff at the <br />' mine site leaching pyritic and organic sulfur as flow passes over and through <br />the spoils. Since the flow of Trout Creek is low at that time, the amount of <br />sulfur is sufficient to cause an ionic shift from a bicarbonate type water to <br />'~ a sulfate type. During periods of higher flow the input of sulfate is <br />generally insufficient to shift the anion component to a sulfate type with <br />concentrations of bicarbonate and sulfate being approximately equal <br />downstream. As mining activities have shifted from the West Ridge area to the <br />Moffat area, the 1990-1991 trends showing peak sulfate levels at TR-C and TR-D <br />are expected to continue. while peak levels may be shifting downstream, they <br />do not seem to be increasing and it is believed that an equalization in the <br />sulfate-bicarbonate balance occurs downstream as the source of the sulfate <br />(mined areas) is unavailable and dilution by runoff from undisturbed areas is <br />r introduced. <br />I~ <br /> <br />