1986-12-11_PERMIT FILE - C1981017

• Permit No: C1981017
• IBM Index Class Name: Permit File
• Doc Date: 12/11/1986
• Doc Name: Permit Application Approval Package
• From: OSM
• To: Mid-Continent Resources, Inc
• Media Type: D
• Archive: No

-21-
3) The reclamation plan provides for the establishment of appropriate
riparian vegetation.
The proposed operation is in compliance with the requirements of this section.
VI . Ground Water Hydrology - Rules 2.04.5, 2.04.7, 2.05.3(4) , 2.05.6(3)
and 4.05
Ground water information reviewed by the Division for compliance can be found
in Sections III-C and III-E of Volumes 4 and 5.
Ground water occurs in bedrock, colluvial/outwash, and alluvial aquifers in
the vicinity of the Mid-Continent mining operations. Bedrock strata which
have the potential to be labeled aquifers are the Upper sandstone, the Middle
sandstone, the Rollins sandstone and discontinuous lenticular sandstones units
of the Mesaverde Group (see Figure III-D-1 of the permit application) . The
colluvial/outwash deposits are minor aquifers in the area. The deposits
support localized intermittent and perennial springs and also discharge to
alluvial aquifers. The alluvial deposits of Coal Creek also can be labeled an
aquifer. The only known users of ground water in Coal Basin have all
completed wells in the alluvial aquifer of Coal Creek (see Table III-C-3 of
the permit application) . There are no known users of bedrock ground water
from the Mesaverde Group in the vicinity of the mine. Many of the other
strata are water-bearing, but yield insufficient quantities of water to be
considered aquifers.
There are no alluvial aquifers which could be affected by subsidence. All of
the streams overlying the underground mine workings are cut into bedrock and
contain little or no alluvial deposits. Any effects to the alluvial aquifers
in Coal Basin would be from mine discharge or sediment pond discharge to the
downstream reaches of the perennial streams.
As stated earlier, 3 sandstone units in the Mesaverde Group have the potential
to be considered aquifers. In the Coal Basin affected area, the Upper
sandstone is approximately 50 feet thick, the Middle sandstone is about 120
feet thick, and the Rollins sandstone is about 140 feet thick. To better
understand the stratigraphic relationships between these sandstones and the
coal seams being mined, see Figure II-D-1 of the permit application or section
IV Geology of this document. Generally, the Rollins sandstone immediately
underlies the "B" seam and the Middle sandstone immediately underlies the "V"
seam. All of these sandstone units outcrop along the walls of Coal Basin (see
Map III-C-1 of the permit application) . This is where recharge to the
aquifers primarily occurs. In the area undermined, ground water flows from
the outcrop, the sandstones down the dip to the west under Huntsman Ridge, and
eventually, to the axis of the Piceance Basin. On the western side of
Huntsman Ridge, the sandstones are located about 2,000-3,000 feet beneath the
land surface (see Plate II of the permit application). There are no known
users of ground water from these sandstones primarily because of the depths
required to drill wells. The water yields are generally low in these
sandstones and are too small to justify the cost of drilling. Also, because