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-22- <br />occur at shallow depths below the water table. The valley aquifer <br />system northwest of the Dolores River has a thicker zone of fresh <br />water overlying the brine. The thicker fresh water zone in this area <br />is probably due to dilution by irrigation water infiltration and a <br />greater recharge of fresh water from the surrounding areas. Several <br />wells near the town of Bedrock tap the fresh water zone in the valley <br />aquifer northwest of the Dolores River. <br />The Dakota Sandstone and Burro Canyon Formations are the sources <br />of ground water for several wells in the Naturita and Nucla area. In <br />the vicinity of the JD-5 lease, the Dakota Sandstone and Burro Canyon <br />Formations are present near the top of Monogram Mesa about 600 feet <br />above the mine site. Ground water may be present in the Dakota and <br />Burro Canyon Formations in this area. However, it is hydraulically <br />separated from the lower formations by the relatively impermeable <br />Brushy Basin member of the Morrison Formation. <br />The Slick Rock Member of the Entrada Sandstone underlies the <br />lease. Based on regional stratigraphy, we estimate that the top of <br />the Slick Rock Member is about 300 feet below the levels of the mine <br />workings, and the relative impervious Summerville Formation lies <br />between the mine workings and the Entrada Sandstone. TO our <br />knowledge, none of the wells in the area obtain water from the Slick <br />Rock Member. Spring No. 4, s hown on Fig. 8, is located about 3 miles <br />southeast of the lease. The spring exits near the contact of the <br />Slick Rock Member and the overlying Summerville Formation. Complex <br />geologic structures are present between the mine site and the spring <br />location. it is not known if the Slick Rock member at the mine site <br />