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4.2.5 Ground Water Bicarbonate and Sulfate <br />Charts 29, 30 and 31 show bicarbonate, sulfate and sodium concentrations and the <br />sulfate/bicarbonate ratio for monitoring wells TR-1.5, TR-3, TR-4, WR-1 and TCS-1 for the <br />period of record. Bicarbonate and sulfate concentrations show a consistent topological trend <br />over the last 5 years. The sulfate/bicarbonate ratio during much of the previous decade showed <br />the alluvial waters at TR-1.5, TR-3 and TR-4 and the backfill water at WR-1 to be sulfate type. <br />Waters at TR-1.5 WR-1 and TR-3 have become slightly more sulfate over the period of record. <br />The sulfate/bicarbonate ratio at TR-4 has resulted in a bicarbonate type over the last 5 years, <br />differing from the period of record. During the last decade the sulfate/bicarbonate ratio at TR-1.5 <br />was very similar to that found in WR-1 providing further evidence that the source of sulfate may <br />be from a sulfur rich source such as leakage from an old abandoned underground mine. <br />Bicarbonate levels in TR-4 rose from 2003 to 2005 driving the sulfate/bicarbonate ratio lower, <br />and shifting the water from a sulfate type to a bicarbonate type. This may be due to the well <br />repairs performed in the spring of 2003. The bicarbonate concentrations at TR-4 seem to have <br />peaked in 2004 and look as if they have stabilized and/or decreased in the past few years. Sulfate <br />concentrations exhibited the same trends in 2009 as found during previous years of monitoring. <br />The lowest bicarbonate concentration in 2009 was recorded at monitoring well TR-3 in May with <br />a value of 111 mg/L and the high was recorded at monitoring well TR-4 in August with a value <br />of 571 mg/L. The lowest sulfate concentration in 2009 was recorded at monitoring well TCS-1 <br />in May with a value of 91 mg/L and the high was recorded at monitoring sites TR-1.5 and WR-1 <br />in May with a value of 2700 mg/L. The lowest sulfate/bicarbonate ratio in 2009 was calculated <br />for monitoring well TR-4 in May with a value of 0.25 SO4 (meq)/HC03 (meq) and the high was <br />calculated for monitoring well WR-1 in May with a value of 15.13 SO4 (meq)/HC03 (meq). <br />4.2.6 Ground Water Dissolved Iron and Manganese <br />Charts 32 and 33 show dissolved iron and manganese concentrations for monitoring wells TR- <br />1.5, TR-3, TR-4, WR-1 and TCS-1 for the period of record. Overall, dissolved iron and <br />manganese levels for the three alluvial wells TR-1.5, TR-3 and TR-4, and backfill well WR-1 <br />remained low during 2009 as in previous years. Monitoring wells TR-1.5 and TR-3 showed <br />spikes in May of 2009 that are uncharacteristic of the sites. The reason for these outliers is <br />unknown. However, both sites returned to historic: levels in August of 2009. Manganese <br />concentrations in TR-4 have risen from 2003 to the 2009 sampling season. Once again, this may <br />be due to the well repairs conducted in the spring of 2003. The lowest dissolved iron <br />concentration in 2009 was recorded at monitoring wells WR-1 in August with a value of 0.02 <br />mg/L and the high was recorded at monitoring well TR-1.5 in May with a value of 30.7 mg/L. <br />The lowest manganese concentration in 2009 was recorded at monitoring well TCS-1 in August <br />with a value of 0.015 mg/L and the high was recorded at monitoring well TR-4 in August with a <br />value of 2.86 mg/L. <br />Page 14 <br />??'-WWC...WEER...