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east corner of the mine while the downstream alluvial well is located down gradient of the mine <br />but up gradient of the Nucla waste water lagoons in Calamity Draws. Western Fuels acquired <br />access to and began monitoring the cluster of wells located in the southwest corner of the project <br />area (wells GW-N16P1, GW-N17P1, and GW-N18P1) in July, 1993. The two sets of wells, GV1~- . <br />N36, GW-N37 and GW-N38 in the northeast corner of the permit area, and GW-N16PI, GW- <br />N17PI and GW-N18PI in the southwest corner of the permit area will adequately monitor <br />groundwater flow activity covering the GarveylBurbridge leases. <br />Two other wells, GW-N6 and GW-N22, were investigated for inclusion in then monitoring program. <br />Well GW-N6, located northeast of the permit boundary, was found to be unusable due to the <br />casing being filled with rocks. Well GW-N22, located downgradient of the waste water lagoons <br />on Calamity Draw, cannot be used due to access agreements and may not tie appropriate to <br />monitor due to its downstream location from these treatment facilities. Well.> GW-N19, GW-N2t) <br />and GW-N21 were also dropped from the monitoring program since they did not serve a practical <br />purpose. <br />All wells are monitored on a monthly basis for water levels. These levels are: adjusted to mean <br />sea elevation. Water quality samples will be collected and analyzed for the parameters listed in <br />2.04.7.2 on asemi-annual basis. Semi-annual samplings will be conducted in February during <br />the non-irrigation season and in August during the irrigation season. <br />PROBABLE HYDROLOGICAL CONSEQUENCES <br />A discussion of the probable hydrologic consequences and reclamation plan are contained in <br />Section 2.O5.ES(3) and Section 2.05.6(3)(b)(v) of the permit application document. The following <br />discussion is intended to supplement the description of potential impacts of mining and mitigatio i <br />of these potential effects. The determination of significance has been made considering the <br />impact on the quality of the human environment, existing water uses, and the intended post <br />mining land use of the area. • <br />Interruption of groundwater flow and drawdown. In order to develop the impact assessment <br />for groundwater quantity, two different analyses techniques were utilized. First, pit inflow <br />volumes were determined on an annual basis using an analytical approach developed by <br />McWhorter, 1982. The second analysis involved the determination of annual pit inflow rates and <br />annual drawdcwns in the adjacent overburden and coal aquifers as a result of the pit inflows. <br />This analysis utilized the USGS 3-dimensional finite-difference groundwater flow model <br />MODFLOW. <br />Transient simulations were performed for alive-year period, using the maximum drawdown <br />estimates for the overburden and coal. These drawdown results are expressed as a maximum <br />at the pit and are expressed as a conical depression which results in decreased drawdown at <br />further distance from the mine. For the overburden, the pit drawdown was 5 feet for years 1 and <br />2, a feet during year 3, 15 feet during year 4, and 30 feet during year 5. The drawdown for the <br />coal simulation was 8 feet during year 1, 5.8 feet during year 2, 6 feet during year 3, 7.3 feet <br />during year 4, and 8 feet during year 5. The zero impact contour for the overburden and coal <br />after five years of mining is approximately 4,000 feet. The overburden and coal drawdown <br />contours do not intersect any of the boundaries, therefore, no impact of the San Miguel River <br />from drawdown in the deeper part of the overburden or coal is predicted. Shallow aquifer flow <br />mto Tuttle and ~~alamity Draws in the vicinity of the pit will be decreased, but vdill be offset by <br />pumpage from the pit. Simulated average daily pit inflow for the coal and overburden aquifers <br />varied from 1,255 cubic feet per day in year 1 to 5,604 cubic feet per day in year 5. WFC's <br />approach to these potential impacts is to monitor the aquifers and discharge from the pit to <br />determine the extent of drawdown. The hydrological monitoring program should provide <br />reasonably accurate measurements of effects of mining. Should the monitoring show that <br />impacts to the groundwater aquifers are precluding its use, WFC will provide alternate water <br />sources of comparable quantity and quality. As described in the water augmentation plan, WFC <br />has a 114 acre foot consumptive use right on the Highline Canal which would be used to mitigate <br />the potential 26 acre foot impact on surface water right users from pit inflow drawdown. <br />