APPCOR11215

• Permit No: C1992080
• IBM Index Class Name: Application Correspondence
• Doc Date: 2/18/1993
• Doc Name: CARBON JUNCTION PERMIT APPLICATION ADEQUACY ISSUES PN C-82-054
• From: DMG
• To: HARRY RANNEY
• Media Type: D
• Archive: No

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• • 111 111111111111111
STATE OF COLviv ~JO
DIVISION OF MINERALS AND GEOLOGY
Depa rlmeni of Natural Resources
1713 Sherman SL, Room ?15
Denver, CO BU203
Phone: [phone]
FA%. (7031 83?-8106
DATE: February 18, 1993
TO: Harry Ranney
FROM: Cathy Begej
RE: Carbon Junction Permit Application Adequacy Issues,
Permit No. C-82-054
OF' ~~[O
~~ 4
Z O
Roy Romer
Governor
Michael B. Long
Uiv ision DireUnr
I have reviewed the geology section of the Carbon Junction permit as
well as all portions related to groundwater at and around the site.
Geochemistry information was acquired from three holes with composite
samples averaging more than 30' in thickness. As our guidelines
recommend 4' intervals I would recommend that the company re-sample
the geological column at the site, as a baseline adequacy issue.
Hopefully, they still have the cores well organized at some location.
If not, they will have to drill three new holes.
The results of a substantial drilling program are presented in
Appendix 4-3. Seventeen holes were drilled of which five had
significant amounts of water during drilling. Water appeared to
overlie the coal seams; it was initially observed in these wells
approximately 15' above the Upper Shamrock, in the Shamrock-Carbonera
sequence, and then in the sandstone above the Lewis Coal. Six holes
went down into the Pictured Cliffs Sandstone a short distance, but
drill logs are available for seven logs for which there is no
location. I would be curious for the operator to reconnoiter all
holes remaining on the site to see if water came in after drilling.
Static water levels are 226'-330' above the bottom of the holes.
Some water quality information has been acquired from three springs
over the last nine years. Two of the springs discharge small volumes
of water ( 5 g.p.m.) throughout the year and discharge higher volumes
in response to precipitation events. Salinity as reflected by TDS,
varies from 180 mg/1 to 4,275 mg/1 suggesting different sources.
These springs reflect unconfined yet reliable sources of water; the
permit indicates that they and other springs supply the canyon with
some of their flow. I would like to see full suite monitoring on the
springs to better characterize them; information in the permit is
restricted to field parameters and TDS.
Well B-17 is on the northeastern end of the permit area. It is a
moderately alkaline and saline (TDS = 400 mg/1), sodium bicarbonate
water with low hardness. It is 165' deep and the perforated interval
intersects the Lewis Coal, and zones 15' higher and lower than the
coal, 20'-60' below the surface. The water level has ranged from the
ground surface to 12' below the surface. I am very concerned that
this well has flowed out from the top of the hole, and have asked the