2008-09-19_GENERAL DOCUMENTS - C1981018

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Surface Water Hydrology The permit area is situated in the lower White River Basin. Snowmelt is the primary source of surface water, originating mainly on the north slopes of the White River Plateau. The permit area occupies portions of two watersheds which are tributary to the White River. The Scullion Gulch Basin, an ephemeral watershed, lies to the west and covers 7,560 acres. The larger Red Wash Basin, intermittent at higher elevations, covers approximately 78,400 acres. Channels draining the two main watershed form dendritic patterns, with Scullion Gulch flowing generally towards the southeast and Red Wash towards the south-southwest. Ground Water H.. d?gy The Williams Fork Formation is divided into three hydrologic units: The Sandstone Facies, which underlines the A coal seam and is generally equivalent to the Trout Creek Sandstone and the upper portion of the Iles Formation; the Siltstone and Coal Facies, which consists of the interbedded coal, siltstone, and shale strata of the Lower Williams Fork Formation; and the upper Sandstone Facies of the Upper Williams Fork Formation. A fourth hydrologic unit is the alluvium of the White River and its tributaries. The maximum thickness of the White River alluvium near the permit area was found to be 37 feet. The groundwater in the alluvium occurs in an unconfined condition. The Red Wash syncline and major fracture zones located along the Red Wash, Scullion Gulch, and the White River control movement of the Mesaverde groundwater. Groundwater in the northwest portion of the permit area moves down dip to the Red Wash syncline. Within the central and southern portion of the permit area, ground water flows south to the White River. Regional Climate The climate in the Uinta Basin is controlled primarily by its continental and intermountain location. Situated between various ranges of the middle and southern Rocky Mountains, the Uinta Basin receives precipitation from storms which originate in the Gulf of Mexico or Pacific Ocean and regularly move through Utah and Colorado. This area is semi-arid with steppe or semi-desert vegetation. Climatology features for the region include: light rainfall, low relative humidity, and moderate wind and movement. Strong insolation during the day and rapid nocturnal cooling result in wide daily temperature ranges. Local Climate The climate of the permit area is characteristic of semi-arid steppe regions. The average annual precipitation for the town of Rangely, Colorado, 10 miles east of Deserado, is 10.02 inches. Although snowfall is common for the area, accumulations are generally small and heavy snow cover seldom remains for any length of time. The average winter temperature near Rangely is 30.9 degrees F. The mean temperature in the summer months is 62.9 degrees F. Winds are predominantly from the west, but are locally modified by topographic features. Deserado Mine 8 September 19, 2008