2008-04-02_GENERAL DOCUMENTS - C1981038

Home Browse Search

of Terror Creek to the east and Steven's Gulch to the southwest. However, due to the steepness of the topography in the outcrop areas (i.e. sandstones are cliff formers) and the narrowness of the stream valleys, the Rollins Sandstone receives little recharge. Some recharge to this continuous unit may come directly from the percolation of snowmelt and precipitation downward through fractures. While no site-specific aquifer characteristics for this unit are available from the permit area, indications are that saturated portions of the Mesaverde Formation are not good aquifers (pages 33 to 37, Section 2.04.7, Volume 1). Ground water occurrences in the stratigraphic interval of the Mesaverde Formation above the D seam are a function of the depositional environment and are characterized by saturated horizons of localized lateral and vertical extent, separated by low porosity, unsaturated intervals. These saturated horizons do not appear to contribute significantly to overall regional ground water flow. To date, the Bowie No. 1 Mine has experienced maximum inflows of around 1,500 gpd. This inflow came from both the floor and roof and were generally roof drips or wet areas on the floor. Mining progressed below East Roatcap Creek and mine inflows increased but still remained insignificant. to the local hydrologic regime. The portals of the East Mine were sealed in 2001 and the portals at the West Mine were sealed in 2000, so no recent mine inflow information is available. Inflows from faults and fractures located outside stream valleys (such as in the Bowie No. 1 Mine) generally dry up with time or flow intermittently at discrete points along the fault or fracture. Those which continue to flow have flow rates which diminish to a trickle. Such inflows may represent the dewatering of lenticular sandstone units with limited recharge areas, or may represent flows through fracture zones extending to the surface which have narrow recharge zones on steep slopes. Surface Water - Surface water information may be found in Volume 1, pages 42 to 47 of Section 2.04, pages 114 to 135 of Section 2.05.6, and in Volume 4. Water rights tabulations and an augmentation plan are found in Volumes 5 and 5A. Annual hydrologic reports have been prepared since 1982 and exist as stand- alone volumes. For al description of the surface water hydrology of the mine permit area and a discussion of the impacts of mining on surface water, please refer to the Hydrologic Balance and Probable Hydrologic Consequences portions of Section B of this document. BRUs baseline surface water collection for the permit area consisted of reviewing existing baseline studies on the area, compiling a list of water rights on file with the State Engineer, identifying water resources using' aerial photographs, and actual on-the-ground surveys. In the 1988 Findings, only one concern with the baseline study that pertained to a proposed area to be mined outside that five-year permit term was noted. CWI had not obtained right of entry to conduct on-the-ground baseline surveys on two tracts of land totalling 286 acres within the East Roatcap Creek drainage basin. COVCC obtained the required rights of entry during 1992-93 and performed ground reconnaissance for surface water sources on these areasjas baseline data for Permit Revision No. 3. The Bowie No. 1 Mine permit area is drained by East Roatcap Creek, West Roatcap Creek, Main Roatcap Creek, Steven's Gulch, Coal Gulch, and Terror Creek, all of which are tributaries to the North Fork of the Gunnison. Terror Creek is a perennial stream with an aquatic community that includes some trout. The stream has a high gradient channel with riparian vegetation and alluvium confined to narrow bands along the channel. i Steven's Gulch, East Roatcap Creek, and Coal Gulch are intermittent to ephemeral drainages that only flow part of the year. Localized deposits of colluvial material reworked by fluvial processes are present within 15