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IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII • ,~Z,,~~ ,S /~~ EXHIBIT G WATER INFORMATION G.1 Water System Location and Identification G.1.1 Surface Water C~ The project is located within the Colorado River drainage basin. The mining and initial processing site is located within the Piceance Creek watershed, which discharges into the White River. The final processing site is contained within the Parachute Creek watershed, which discharges directly into the Colorado River. The drainage divide is south of the boundary between Garfield and Rio Blanco counties, along the Roan Plateau. Piceance and Parachute Creeks are the only two perennial streams in the project area. G.1.1.1 Piceance Creek Watershed The Piceance Creek watershed covers approximately 652 square miles and is part of the White River drainage basin. The White River is tributary to the Green River, which is tributary to the Colorado River. Piceance Creek flows in awest-northwesterly direction from its headwaters near the town of Rio Blanco to its confluence with the White River approximately 17 miles west of Meeker. The drainage area is characterized by steep- sided, rugged terrain with intersecting gulches incised into plateau areas. The Piceance Creek floodplain is utilized for agriculture and cattle production. The stream generally has poor bank conditions and is heavily sedimented. Piceance Creek intersects only minor portions of the Piceance Site's eastern boundary. The pipeline will cross the creek in two locations. There are numerous intermittent channels throughout the Piceance Site. These channels generally carry water only after precipitation events and during snowmelt, although water may remain in some sections for several days after a significant storm. Surface water in the Piceance Creek drainage basin is described as mixed bicarbonate in the upper portions of the drainage basin and sodium bicarbonate in the lower portions. Chemical components found in Piceance Creek surface waters are attributed to the weathering of surficial materials in the area. The principal ionic constituents in Piceance Creek include sodium, calcium, magnesium, bicarbonate, sulfate, chloride, potassium, and fluoride. Sodium bicarbonate and sulfate levels generally decrease during the spring snowmelt runoff because of the increased amount of water, while chloride and fluoride remain essentially constant. Calcium and magnesium concentrations show small decreases, and potassium increases during the snowmelt. During the irrigation season (July), sodium becomes concentrated, and calcium and magnesium concentrations increase. In later summer and fall, Piceance Creek flow is G-1