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Cotter Corporation Water Quality Assessment CO0036251 <br />II. Introduction <br />The water quality assessment (WQA) of the unnamed tributaries of East Paradox Creek and Bull <br />Canyon to the Dolores River, near the JD -7 and JD -9 Mines, located in Montrose County, is intended <br />to determine the assimilative capacities available for pollutants found to be of concern. This WQA <br />describes how the water quality based effluent limits (WQBELs) are developed. These parameters <br />may or may not appear in the permit with limitations or monitoring requirements, subject to other <br />determinations such as reasonable potential analysis, evaluation of federal effluent limitation <br />guidelines, implementation of state -based technology based limits, mixing zone analyses, 303(d) <br />listings, threatened and endangered species listing, or other requirements as discussed in the permit <br />rationale. Figure A -1 contains a map of the study area evaluated as part of this WQA. <br />The Cotter Corporation mined vanadium and uranium at the JD -7 and JD -9 mines. According to Cotter <br />Corporation, the JD -7 and JD -9 mine facilities are now intermittent operations that, while not actively <br />producing at this time, do conduct mining activities. Mine JD -7 discharges to an unnamed tributary of <br />East Paradox Creek approximately thirteen miles upstream of the confluence of the Dolores River and <br />East Paradox Creek. Mine JD -9 discharges to an unnamed tributary of Bull Canyon approximately ten <br />miles upstream of the confluence of the Dolores River and Bull Canyon. <br />The discharge from the JD -7 and JD -9 Mines' WWTF to unnamed tributaries of East Paradox Creek and <br />Bull Canyon are in the Water Body Identification (WBID) stream segment COGULD03a. This means <br />the Gunnison River Basin, Lower Dolores Sub - basin, Stream Segment 03a. This segment is composed <br />of: "All tributaries to the Dolores River, including all lakes, reservoirs and wetlands, from the bridge at <br />Bradfield Ranch (Forest Route 505, near Montezuma/Dolores County Line) to the Colorado/Utah border, <br />except for specific listings in Segments 3b, 4 and 5." Stream segment COGULD03a is classified for <br />Warm 2, Recreation E and Agriculture. <br />The discharge from these mines could reach the Dolores River during severe storm events. The Dolores <br />River is in the Water Body Identification (WBID) stream segment COGULD02. This means the <br />Gunnison River Basin, Lower Dolores Sub - basin, Stream Segment 02. This segment is composed of the <br />"Mainstem of the Dolores River from the Little Gypsum Valley Bridge at the San Miguel /Montrose <br />County line, to the Colorado/ Utah border." Stream segment COGULD02 is classified for Warm 1, <br />Recreation E and Agriculture. <br />Appendix A (wQA V 7.0) <br />Page 3 of 23 Last Revised 06/10/10 /AO <br />