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Prince Albert Mine Plan of Operations Site Description <br />3.7 Surface Water <br />There are no perennial or intermittent streams on the Prince Albert site. Two ephemeral drainages <br />exist, one on the east side of the affected area and one on the west side of the affected area. These <br />drainages flow only during storm events and possibly during the peak snow melt. The mine portal <br />location and affected area boundary were sited between these drainages so that runoff from storm <br />events and snow melt could be routed around the disturbed area and site facilities with minimal <br />impact to surface water resources. Ephemeral flow direction is to the east and northeast, down the <br />steep slopes below the mine permit area and to the San Miguel River approximately one mile away. <br />Surface water bodies within 2 miles of the proposed mine site are stock watering ponds located over <br />one mile away and both the San Miguel and Dolores Rivers. The planned permit area was surveyed <br />(Pierce, 2010) and no springs or seeps were found within the planned permit boundary or within 2 <br />miles of the proposed mine site. <br />Operations at the Prince Albert Mine site would have very little effect on surface water resources. <br />On -site storm -water control structures and best management practices for any site runoff that may be <br />impacted by mine operations are designed to prevent contaminants from entering the local ephemeral <br />drainages in concentrations that exceed the Water Quality Standards for the local San Miguel River <br />segment. Surface water management is discussed in more detail in Section 4.1.6 and in the attached <br />Exhibit U EPP. <br />3.8 Ground Water <br />The hydrogeology of the area was examined in depth in the Revised Environmental Report, Uravan <br />Project, Radioactive Materials License No. 660 -02S, UMETCO Minerals Corporation submitted to <br />the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment on November 14, 1997. Findings from <br />this report are summarized below and in the attached DRMS Exhibit U EPP. <br />The primary source of ground water that could be affected during mining is the Salt Wash member of <br />the Morrison Formation, which is considered relatively permeable and transmissive due to fracturing. <br />The Salt Wash sandstone is jointed in an orthogonal pattern that strikes northeast- northwest with <br />fractures that generally completely transect individual sandstone beds which are two or more feet <br />thick. Fractures are two to three feet apart and appear to be transmissive in the subsurface <br />environment because they display well developed Liesegang banding parallel to the fractures as well <br />as along some bedding surfaces. The sandstone itself is relatively impermeable, displaying no open <br />pores during petrographic analysis. The Salt Wash member is capped by the Brushy Basin member of <br />the Morrison Formation, although it has almost completely eroded away in the location encompassed <br />by the mine permit area. The Brushy Basin Member is composed largely of varicolored bentonitic <br />shale and mudstone with local lenses of conglomerate that give it its characteristic low permeability. <br />Rimrock Exploration and Development Page 7 of 27 <br />