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• those portions of Newlin Creek below the diversion exhibit the <br />characteristics of an ephemeral stream. Ephemeral streams draining the <br />mine area drain to the northeast and are tributary to Hardscrabble and <br />Coal Creeks with Hardscrabble Creek being an ephemeral stream and Coal <br />Creek being classified as a perennial stream. These two (2) drainages in <br />turn discharge to the Arkansas River which is the major perennial drainage <br />in this area. The mine area is located approximately eight (8) miles <br />south of the confluence of Hardscrabble, and Coal Creeks with the Arkansas <br />River as shown on the Regional Hydrogeology Map, (Map 5). <br />The Southfield loadout area is intersected by a low topographic ridge, <br />with the eastern portion of the loadout area draining to Chandler Creek <br />and the western portion draining to nearby Oak Creek. Chandler Creek is <br />an ephemeral stream while Oak Creek may exhibit either ephemeral or <br />perennial flows in the loadout area dependent upon upstream water use. <br />Both Oak and Chandler Creeks discharge to the Arkansas River less than one <br />• (1) mile from the loadout area as shown on Regional Hydrogeology Map, (Map <br />5). <br />From the initiation of monitoring activities in 1979 to the present, <br />Dorchester, and subsequently EFCI, have monitored surface water flows for <br />Newlin, Magpie and Oak Creeks on a regular basis when flow has occurred. <br />With expansion of the Southfield permit area in conjunction with this <br />permit revision application, EFCI will establish an additional monitoring <br />station and initiate regular monitoring activities on Second Alkali Creek. <br />The only other surface water monitoring information available for permit <br />and adjacent areas is diversion records for the City of Florence diversion <br />on upper Newlin Creek which are maintained by Water Division II, of the <br />State of Colorado Department of Natural Resources. kith the exceptions <br />of Oak and Coal Creeks, and the Arkansas River which are perennial <br />drainages, all streams draining the mine and loadout areas and downstream <br />tributary drainages are ephemeral streams which flow only in response to <br />snowmelt and major thunderstorm events. <br />• Baseline surface water quality in the permit and adjacent areas reflect <br />the effects of previous mining activities in the mine area and <br />agricultural and commercial development in the loadout area. In addition, <br />2.05.6-10 <br />