Laserfiche WebLink
West Elk Mine 2007 Annual Hydrology Report 43 <br />• 5.2 Springs and Seeps <br />MCC routinely monitors 36 springs and seeps (Table 4). Hydrographs of the spring and seep flows <br />are presented in Appendix D and the spring flow and water quality data are presented in Appendix <br />E. <br />5.2.1 Impacts to Water Quantity and Quality <br />Spring and seep flows in WY 2007 continued to be below normal compared to historical averages, <br />but in some cases flows were above the flows measured in WY 2005 and 2006(HydroGeo, 2007). <br />Springs 27-1, G-7, G-16, and J-4 were flowing at a higher rate in WY 2007 than in WY 2006. <br />Springs that were flowing in WY 2005 but not in WY 2006 or WY 2007 include Spring 11-2, <br />Spring 15-1, and Spring G-26A. These springs apparently have been affected by drier climatic <br />conditions in WY 2006 and have not recovered. Spring E10-2 was flowing in WY2007 but not in <br />WY 2006. Spring E14-1 located at the head of Box Canyon, has been dry since 1998, and was <br />permanently covered by the construction of a new drill pad in the summer of 2006, so no <br />monitoring will be conducted at this site in future years. Other than Spring E14-1, there is no <br />indication that of any changes to spring or seep flows were the result of mining activities. <br />• Water quality data from WY 2007 did not indicate significant changes from baseline conditions for <br />most of the monitored springs. However the following springs had slightly elevated TDS/TSS, <br />iron, and\or conductivity values that were also noted in WY2004, WY2005, and WY2006. Spring <br />26-1 had a slightly elevated conductivity of 570 µmhos/cm compared to the maximum baseline <br />value of 548 µmhos/cm and TSS of 20 mg/1 compared to the maximum baseline value of 16 mg/1. <br />Spring 27-1 had an elevated conductivity of 666 µmhos/cm compared to the maximum baseline <br />value of 437 µmhos/cm and TSS of 126 mg/l compared to the maximum baseline value of 96 mg/l. <br />Spring G-7 had a slightly elevated conductivity of 452 µmhos/cm compared to the maximum <br />baseline value of 414 µmhos/cm, an elevated total iron value of 1.52 mg/l compared to a maximum <br />baseline value of 0.4 mg/l and TDS of 280 mg/l compared to the maximum baseline value of 230 <br />mg/1. Spring G-24 had an elevated conductivity of 867 µmhos/cm compared to the maximum <br />baseline value of 564 µmhos/cm and a slightly elevated dissolved iron value of 0.31 mg/l compared <br />to a maximum baseline value of 0.1 mg/l. Spring G-14 had an elevated conductivity of 1,040 <br />µmhos/cm compared to the maximum baseline value of 682 [mhos/cm. Spring G-22 had a slightly <br />elevated conductivity of 1,180 µmhos/cm (1,180 µmhos/cm duplicate) compared to the maximum <br />baseline value of 640 µmhos/cm, an elevated dissolved iron value of 0.08 mg/l (0.08 mg/l <br />duplicate) compared to a maximum baseline value of 0.05 mg/1, an elevated total iron value of 0.66 <br />mg/1 (0.43 mg/l duplicate) compared to a maximum baseline value of 0.2 mg/l, a TDS of 770 mg/l <br />June 2008 HydroGeo, Inc.