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<br />the range of hydraulic conductivities for these materials. The eastward gradient <br />indicates ground water flow occurs along the base of the alluvial valleys. Seasonal <br />water level records indicate that the water table fluctuates, corresponding to the <br />rate of recharge from upstream. In the spring, the alluvium is more saturated than <br />during the fall (see alluvial well data in Tables 3, 4 and 5). <br />The major features which influence ground water flow in bedrock, and <br />hence, affect piezometric elevations in the permit area are the dikes and faults <br />that have intruded the local strata, Maitland and Gordon Arroyos that have eroded <br />channels into the bedrock formations and the underground mines that cross <br />geologic units and boundaries. The dikes and faults are geologic barriers confining <br />the local movement of ground water. The arroyos act es hydrogeologic barriers <br />affecting the configuration of historical mining. To avoid substantial inflow, the <br />arroyos were not substantially undermined. The mine workings are now considered <br />major hydrologic conduits. <br />• To facilitate discussions, the mine area has been divided into three <br />hydrogeologic sectors, correlative with CCMC's mining program proposed for this <br />area. These sectors are shown on Figure 1. <br />Hydrogeological SeetorI <br />Sector I is bounded by the dike along the southern boundary of the <br />permit area and on the north by Maitland Arroyo. Three major mines exist in this <br />sector and are located in the Lower Robinson, Lennox and Cameron coal seams. <br />The mines in the Lennox and Cameron seams are considered to be hydrostatically <br />connected by either mine adits or numerous drillholes in the area. Observation <br />wells in the various strata throughout the sector all have similar static water levels <br />indicating hydraulic interconnection. It is significant to note that the static water <br />level elevations for these coal seams are roughly at the same elevation at which <br />each of the coal seams subcrop in the alluvium beneath Maitland Arroyo. <br />• <br />-8- <br />