1989-05-12_REVISION - M1977493 - Laserfiche WebLink

Home Browse Search

• Groundwater As documented in reports previously submitted to the Colorado Water Quality Control Division, Climax operations are not expected to adversely affect groundwater systems in the area. Bedrock is predominantly Paleozoic sedimentary rock; none of which is classified as being an aquifer. However, even if a deep aquifer was present, groundwater transport would be greatly hampered by the high degree of offset faulting which occurs in the area and region. Although it may be possible for seepage to percolate vertically along the fault zones, the clayey fault gouge which makes up these fault zones greatly restricts perme- ability . The bowl-like configuration caused by the Kokomo Syncline greatly restricts deep groundwater movement. East and north of the Climax area, movement along the Mosquito Fault has brought crystalline Precambrian rocks into contact with the Paleozoic sediments . These Precambrian units also serve as a barrier to the transport of deep groundwaters. In June 1987, Climax installed two groundwater monitoring wells downstream of the Mayflower tailing pond (Appendix A) in the Tenmile Creek valley bottom. These wells were drilled into bed- rock . Well installation and the water quality monitoring pro- gram have been approved by the Colorado Water Quality Control Division . To date , analyses show groundwater of excellent quality down gradient of the tailing ponds. Quantitative data reports are on file with the Colorado Water Quality Control Division. ARKANSAS RIVER DRAINAGE Operations and facilities affecting the Arkansas River drainage include the underground mine portal and crusher, warehouse- office-dry facilities, and the Storke pump station (collectively referred to as the Storke area ) . The upper Arkansas River drainage has been used in the past as a source of domestic water and for aggregate. Domestic water will continue to be taken from this location . Discharges from the aggregate mining facility were covered under Colorado PDES Permit No. CO-0029840 until August, 1988 when this permit was inactivated. The upper Arkansas River area was placed into the active reclamation category (Map ID Area D) in 1987 when the old Storke settling ponds were removed and the sixty acre site was graded, con- toured, topsoiled, and seeded. The river was returned to its approximate original channel in late fall of 1987 pursuant to the requirements of the applicable dredge and fill permit. • The fresh water reservoir in the upper Arkansas River Valley discussed in the existing permit is not presently planned for construction. G-2