2004-12-07_PERMIT FILE - C1984063

• Permit No: C1984063
• IBM Index Class Name: Permit File
• Doc Date: 12/7/2004
• Section_Exhibit Name: Rule 2.04 Environmental Resources
• Media Type: D
• Archive: No

• 5. Hydroloor
Ground Water. Ground water of the surrounding area is
generally obtained from the Mancos Shale located to the
north of the permit area, the Mesa Verde Sand=_tones ar~d
Shales located on the permit area, the Wasatch located to
the south of the permit area, and the alluvium along the
Colorado River.
Although unconfined water is found in fractured or weathered
zones, the Mancos Shale is not considered a reliable source
of watP-. The occasional ground water of P1a r~co Shale i=_. of
poor quality. The Mesa Verde is a source of water to
springs, seeps and wells. Because the sandstones are
lenticular in nature and do not extend over a great area,
the Mesa Verde ground water is considered of limited
importance in the local area.
The Mesa Verde sandstones are lensatic in nature, pinching
out laterally in both directions from the mine site. These
sandstones with the interbedded coal seams have been
identified as potential aquifers in the permit area.
The mine plan includes recovery of the E and Wheeler seams
• (Williams Fork Formation) which are separated
stratigraphically by 200 feet of marine shales (see Drawing
13: Lithologic Correlation>. The Wheeler is generally
considered the lower-most coal of the Williams ForK
Formation in this area. The Wheeler exists immediately
below a resistant buff, cliff forming sandstone, and the E
seam lies above a similar unit. The E and Wheeler occur
800-1000 feet above the contact with the Mancos shale.
Therefore, the seams to be mined lie within the lower 1,200
feet of the Mesa Verde Group, and are stratigraphically
covered by 3,700+ feet of the sediments. The low
permeability of these intervening units effectively isolate
the seams from shallow ground waters south of the Grand
Hogback.
Wells have been completed in these shallow bedrock aquifers.
Three domestic wells have been drilled in the upper Williams
Fork Formation (see Table 2: Ground Water Sampling Point
Specifications and Figure 8: Water Well Location and
Statistics). The Gamba and Becker wells are located
generally south of the permit area with recorded depths of
260 and 300 feet, respectively. Their location and depth
indicate that they tap the uppermost sandstone units of the
Williams ForK Formation. The Sievers well, located 1.3
miles west of the permit area has a recorded depth o4 55
feet. Although its location is only 14 miles south of the

33 Revised 5-87