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Formation. <br />A fourth hydrologic unit is the alluvium of the White River and its tributaries. The <br />maximum thickness of the White River Alluvium near the permit area was found to be <br />37 feet. Groundwater in the alluvium occurs in an unconfined condition. <br />No major usage of groundwater in or adjacent to the permit area has been defined by <br />the permittee. Due to the generally low yield and poor quality of aquifers in the region, <br />high groundwater usage would be unusual. Recharge of the bedrock aquifers occurs <br />primarily at higher elevations north of the permit area through infiltration of precipitation <br />in outcrop areas. Discharge is primarily through seeps where aquifers are erosionally <br />exposed along the White River. <br />The operator had originally developed an alluvial well field near the confluence of <br />Scullion Gulch and the White River to supply water for mine operations. In 1984, <br />Kenney Reservoir was completed above Rangely, Colorado. Kenney Reservoir <br />impounds the White River through the southern portion of the permit area, inundating <br />much of the alluvial well field. Because the alluvial surface is almost completely <br />submerged by the reservoir, recharge to the alluvium is now instantaneous. Due to <br />inundation of the well field by the reservoir, and due to high salinity of the alluvial well <br />water, the operator now pumps water directly from the White River into an adjacent <br />lagoon, and from there, water is pumped to the mine's raw water storage tank. Only one <br />alluvial well, Qal -5, located at the mouth of Scullion Gulch, remains in use as a <br />monitoring well. <br />The Red Wash Syncline and major fracture zones located along the Red Wash, Scullion <br />Gulch and the White River, control movement of the Mesaverde groundwater. <br />Groundwater in the northwest part of the permit area moves down dip to the Red Wash <br />Syncline. Within the central and southern portion of the permit area, groundwater flows <br />south to the White River. <br />Surface water drainage patterns in the area are incised and dendritic. Scullion Gulch <br />and Red Wash flow primarily in response to direct precipitation. The White River is a <br />perennial stream receiving discharge from the permit and adjacent areas. The majority <br />of flows in the White River occur between May and July in response to snowmelt. <br />Soils in the area include the Cushman, Forelle, Pinelli, Potts, Satanka and Worfka <br />series, which are developed on ridge tops, ridge sideslopes, and in valley fans. <br />Underdeveloped soils such as Colorado, Haverson alkali phase, Kinnear, Moyerson, <br />Redcreek, Rentsac, and Turley variant occur on low floodplains, extreme ridge tops, <br />and upper ridge sideslopes. <br />Eight plant communities have been identified in the permit area to be affected by <br />surface operations and facilities. Vegetation communities consist of juniper woodland, <br />juniper woodland -big sagebrush, big sagebrush, big sagebrush- wheatgrass, western <br />4 <br />