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iii iiiiiiiiuiiiiii <br />Doc Date:1211112001 <br />State Reg. <br />VI. ALTERNATIVE WATER SUPPLY INFORMATION <br />The extent to which the Seneca II Mine may proximately result <br />in the contamination diminution of an underground or surface <br />source of water for beneficial use can be evaluated by <br />determining: <br />A. The size of the affected area. <br />B. The significance of surface and ground water area. <br />From this information, a plan for alternative water supply or <br />augmentation of water supply can be developed. <br />A. The Size of the Affected Area. <br />As explained in 7-111 (Probable Hydrologic Consequences), the <br />affected area in terms of ground and surface water is limited <br />in extent. Ground water which will have higher concentrations <br />of total dissolved solids will move very slowly down gradient <br />in the Hayden Syncline. Effluent from the mine will be diluted <br />and combined with agricultural runoff in both the Grassy Creek <br />and Fish Creek Basins. As Grassy Creek reaches the Yampa River <br />or the unnamed tributaries reach Fish Creek, higher levels of <br />TDS due to effluent discharge will be undetectable. Therefore, <br />the affected area of mining will at most extend a mile down <br />gradient from mining. <br />B. The Significance of Surface and Ground Water. <br />According to Boettcher (1972), 98 percent of all water used in <br />the northern and central parts of western Colorado is surface <br />water, with the remaining 2 percent ground water. In examining <br />water rights (Tables 7-41 and 7-42), there are 122 adjudicated <br />surface water rights within and adjacent to the Seneca fI t4ine <br />7-150 Revised U7j24/9U <br />