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Fractured roof conditions produced mine inflows at the Blue Ribbon Mine. There were <br />few inflows with short durations and involved relatively minor amounts of water. The <br />characteristics of these inflows indicate that the source of water has a limited recharge <br />area and has a limited storage capacity (i.e., limited thickness and areal extent). The <br />water flowing from these fractures most likely originates from overlying perched aquifers <br />in lenticular sandstones and from the fractures themselves. <br />The pulling of coal pillars within the mine may have produced subsidence. The <br />subsidence may have impacted the overlying water-bearing strata within the Mesaverde <br />Formation. However, no overlying strata are used for water supplies and no significant <br />spring flows were observed emanating from these strata. The potential future use of the <br />lenticular sandstones for water supplies is limited by: 1) the steepness of the stream <br />valley slopes, 2) the depth of drilling, 3) the low well yields which are expected from the <br />tight, fine-grained sandstones, and 4) the limited recharge areas of lenticular <br />sandstones. <br />The E coal seam is not an aquifer. The mine workings were dry, except in a few areas <br />of fracturing. <br />1 This discussion of surface and groundwater is from the permit application package and the DRMS's <br />December 29, 1997 Findings of Compliance. <br />3 of 3 7/08