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HomeMy WebLinkAbout08 Impact AnalysisO\LOLSSON ASSOCIATES Impact Analysis OXY USA WTP LP Pond 13 E/W Centralized E&P Waste Management Facility OA Project No. 013-0655 760 Horizon Drive, Suite 102 TEL 970.263.7800 Grand Junction, CO 81506 FAX 970.263.7456 www.olssonassociates.com Ol\kOLSSON ASSOCIATES ARTICLE 4 — IMPACT ANALYSIS OXY USA WTP LP POND 13 - CENTRALIZED E & P WASTE MANAGEMENT FACILITY SECTION 4-203.G. IMPACT ANALYSIS 1. Adjacent Property See Adjacent Property Owners section for complete list of Adjacent Property Owners. 2. Mineral Owners See Adjacent Property Owners section for complete list of Mineral Owners. 3. Adjacent Land Use Land uses adjacent to the project site are predominately natural gas operations and seasonal cattle grazing. The project site is located within a 640 acre parcel. Land uses on adjacent properties also include natural gas and agricultural operations. 4. Site Features The proposed site is located at an approximate elevation of 8,600 feet above sea level. The project area is also located above Cascade Canyon and the Conn Creek drainage in Section 4, Township 6 South, Range 97 West of the 6th P.M. The site has been disturbed and contains two fenced and lined production water ponds. Prior to being disturbed, the site contained a mix of scrub -shrub upland habitat dominated by sagebrush and Gambel oak with aspen occurring along the adjacent drainages and higher elevations. 5. Soil Characteristics The soil at this location consists of 55 — Parachute — Irigul complex, 5 to 30 percent slopes and 56 -Parachute — Irigul-Rhone association, 25 to 50 percent slopes. Both soil types are considered to exhibit "well drained" qualities with no frequency of flooding or ponding. Both soil types have low characteristics for corrosion of concrete and moderate corrosion of steel. The characteristics of these soils will not create significant restrictions on the development of a Centralized E & P Waste Management Facility. 760 Horizon Drive, Suite 102 TEL 970.263.7800 Grand Junction, CO 81506 FAX 970.263.7456 www.olssonassociates.com OXY Pond 13 E/W Centralized E&P Waste Management Facility 6. Geology and Hazard Topography The Oxy Pond 13 Water Storage Facility consists of adjacent ponds that are being permitted as one facility. The site is shown on the U.S.G.S. Circle Dot Gulch 7.5 -minute topographic map. The water storage facility is located near the rim of Cascade Canyon approximately 15 miles north of the town of De Beque in western Garfield County, Colorado. The site is located near the center of the Piceance Basin, an elongated, irregularly- shaped structural depression in the earth's crust resulting from tectonic forces associated with the uplift of the Rocky Mountains through geologic time. The general terrain surrounding the facility consists of rugged canyons incised into the Roan Cliffs. The present topography is the result of uplift combined with stream erosion. The erosion produced a series of high plateaus and deep valleys associated with the down cutting of Colorado River located to the south. The site is located approximately 550 feet northwest of an unnamed drainage to Cascade Canyon. The site lies at an elevation of approximately 8,600 feet above mean sea level. The elevation of Cascade Creek lies at approximately 8,200 feet or 400 feet below the site elevation. Soils The proposed facility is underlain by soils mapped by the U.S. Natural Resources Conservation Service as the Parachute — Irigul complex, which is found on mountain sides and on ridge crests with 5 percent to 30 percent slopes, at elevations of 7,600 feet to 8,800 feet above mean sea level. The unit is about 60 percent Parachute soil and 30 percent Rhone loam. The two soils occur as areas so intricately intermingled that mapping them separately was deemed impractical at the scale used in the soil survey. The Parachute soil is moderately deep and is well drained. It formed in residuum derived dominantly from sandstone, siltstone, and shale. Typically the surface layer consists of grayish brown loam and is about ten inches thick; while the subsoil is brown very channery loam about 15 inches thick, with rippable, fractured siltstone encountered at depths of about 25 inches. Permeability is moderate in the Parachute soil, and the available water capacity is very low. Runoff is medium or rapid, and the hazard of water erosion is moderate to very severe. The Irigul soil is shallow and well drained and is formed in residuum derived predominantly from sandstone or shale. Typically the surface layer is brown channery loam about six inches thick, the subsoil is very dark grayish brown loam about 7 inches thick, and siltstone is encountered at a depth of about 13 inches. Permeability is moderate and the available water capacity is very low. Runoff is medium or rapid, and the hazard of water erosion is moderate to very severe. Bedrock Geology The bedrock underlying the proposed facility is composed of the Tertiary age Uinta Formation or the Parachute Creek Member of the Green River Formation. The Uinta Formation consists of permeable, poorly sorted, fine to coarse sandstone with some siltstone and mudstone, becoming more coarse-grained and permeable toward the top of Impact Analysis Page 2 OXY Pond 13 E/W Centralized E&P Waste Management Facility the formation. The Uinta Formation and the Parachute Member of the upper part of the Green River Formation comprise the Uinta — Animas aquifer in the Piceance Basin. The Uinta Formation lies stratigraphically above the Tertiary age Parachute Member of the Green River Formation. The Parachute Creek Member consists primarily of dolomitic marlstone. Kerogen, a waxlike hydrocarbon, is present in some parts of the Parachute Creek Member in the Piceance and Uinta Basins. Marlstone containing large concentrations of kerogen is referred to as "oil shale" and is generally not as fractured and contains smaller concentrations of kerogen. Fractures and dissolution openings along fractures in the marlstone form the principal pathways for water movement in the aquifer (Robson and Banta, 1995). Oil shale is generally less permeable and forms confining units. The Mahogany zone is an oil shale bed within the Parachute Creek Member that is an example of a confining unit found within the Piceance Basin. A saline zone in the lower marlstone of the Parachute Creek Member is found within the central part of the Piceance Basin and contains the minerals nahcolite and halite, is not extensively fractured, and forms part of the relatively impermeable lower confining unit of the aquifer (Robson and Banta, 1995). The depth to the top of the Mahogany zone in the vicinity of the site is expected to lie at an elevation of 6,000 feet. The Garden Gulch Member, Anvil Points Member, and Douglas Creek Member of the Green River Formation and the Tertiary age Wasatch Formation forms a confining unit that separates the Uinta — Animas aquifer from the underlying upper Cretaceous Mesaverde aquifer. Local and Regional Geologic Structures The water storage facility is located on the northeastern limb of the Crystal Creek Anticline. The northwest trending fold system of the Crystal Creek anticlinal nose and the Clear Creek Syncline begins near the Colorado River and extends northward for approximately 30 miles into the southwestern part of the Piceance Creek Basin. A part of the Clear Creek syncline occupies the southwestern part of this area, and the trace of its axis is closely parallel to that of the Crystal Creek anticline. The Clear Creek syncline is a broad shallow fold the trace of which closely parallels the axis of the Crystal Creek anticline. The Crystal Creek anticlinal nose forms the southeastern element of an anticlinal fold that trends across the southwest part of the Piceance Basin. The fold plunges to the northwest and terminates near the western boundary of the area in a structural saddle (Hail, 1992). The anticline is somewhat asymmetrical and has steeper dips on its southwest limb of about 200 feet per mile and gentler dips on its northeastern limb of about 65 feet per mile (Hail, 1992). No major faults are present in the project area. Two small groups of normal faults are present in the southern extent of the Roan Plateau with one set approximately 15 miles northeast and a second smaller group about 20 miles northwest of the project site (Hail, 1992). Geologic Hazards There are no major faults in the central Roan Plateau area (Hail, 1992). Minimal seismic activity near the proposed disposal facility has occurred in recent geologic time. One Impact Analysis Page 3 OXY Pond 13 E/W Centralized E&P Waste Management Facility earthquake of magnitude greater than 5.0 occurred in Garfield County since the early 1960s when proper instrumentation was implemented in the state of Colorado. The epicenter of this earthquake was approximately 17 miles southeast of the project site. A second recorded earthquake greater than 5.0 occurred in Rio Blanco County with an epicenter about 20 miles northwest of the project site. Mesa County has historically experienced few earthquakes. The USGS has rated Mesa County as having low to moderate earthquake hazard, although no specific seismic study has been done in Mesa County. According to the Colorado Geological Survey, no Quaternary -age faults are present in the Roan Plateau area (Widmann and others, 1998). However, the Geologic Map of Colorado (Tweto, 1979) shows northeast -southwest trending normal faults exist in the Cretaceous bedrock near the Douglas Creek Arch and the western edge of the Piceance Basin. In addition, a series of normal faults trace along the eastern Piceance Basin boundary near the Grand Hogback to the east. Although faults are not always visible at the surface, this does not preclude the chance of an earthquake happening in the area at some point in the future. According to the Colorado Earthquake Hazard Mitigation Council (2008), "Earthquakes can also occur on faults that do not rupture the ground surface or on faults that are not yet recognized as being hazardous. These so called "random" earthquakes are considered in most hazard analyses to help account for faults that are not apparent at the earth's surface." No surficial geologic hazards (landslide, mudflow, fan) or soils hazards have been mapped in the immediate vicinity of the proposed waste management facility. The site is not located in an area mapped as a floodplain hazard by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). However, because of the natural slope above the property within the northeast -to - southwest oriented drainage, overland flow is possible in the event of an extreme precipitation event. Although records of extreme rainfall events are unavailable for locations on top of the Roan Plateau, climate records since the mid -20th century indicate that the record 24-hour rainfall amounts at Grand Junction, Palisade, and Parachute have not exceeded 2 inches (Western Regional Climate Center, 2011). The duration of these events within a 24 hour period is not known, and it is possible that a short burst of intense rainfall event could cause local overland flow in the watershed that encompasses the project site if a precipitation rate exceeds the infiltration rate of the watershed soils. The primary limitations for shallow excavations are based on the slopes and severe seepage. Consideration will be given to the design and construction of this facility to ensure that slopes are graded appropriately to minimize the potential for cutback caving. The suitability of the soils in the project area is identified as being somewhat to very limited in regard to the construction of ponds and embankments. The limitations identified are primarily applicable to unlined water impoundments. Consideration will be given to design and construction characteristics related to the area soil thickness and depth to bedrock to mitigate these limitations. Consideration will also be given to the design and operation of the high density polyethylene (HDPE) liner system for the impoundments, which will mitigate potential seepage and leaks. Impact Analysis Page 4 OXY Pond 13 E/W Centralized E&P Waste Management Facility Surface Water Features Surface water features within two miles of the project site include Cascade Canyon located approximately 1,640 feet to the southwest of the water treatment facility, and Little Creek approximately 1,624 feet to the northeast. The site lies on a drainage divide between Cascade Creek to the southwest and Little Creek to the northeast. If a produced water spill were to occur and leave the site, it is expected that it would flow toward Cascade Canyon. Oxy USA WTP had another permitted pit named the MCM #83-92 Pit (COGCC facility ID #273647) located approximately 1,130 feet to the north. The MCM #83-92 pit is shown as being closed on the COGCC GIS database. The site is shown on the USGS 1:24,000 topographic map (Circle Dot Gulch Quadrangle). Cascade Creek has perennial flow, although no flow records are available to determine the flow conditions in these drainages. There are no springs shown in Section 4, Township 6 South, Range 97 West. However, there are springs shown in adjoining Section 3, Section 5, Section 9 Section 10, Township 6 South Range 97W, and in Section 36, Township 5 South, Range 97 West, of the 6th Principal Meridian. These springs are all located at elevations of less than 8,400 feet and most are closer to an elevation of 8,200 feet above mean sea level. Shallow Groundwater and Major Aquifers Shallow groundwater is not expected to occur in close proximity to the site due to the site being located on a prominence of Cascade Canyon at an elevation of approximately 8,600 feet. Cascade Canyon is the nearest surface water and lies at elevations of 8,200 feet to 8,400 feet. Major aquifers in the area consist of the Uinta — Animas aquifer and according to published geologic maps, the bedrock exposed at the surface consists of the Uinta Formation. The Uinta — Animas aquifer in the Piceance Basin consists of the Uinta Formation and the Parachute Creek Member of the Green River Formation. Much of the intergranular space in the sandstone and siltstone is filled by sodium and bicarbonate cements; however, fractures are numerous and produce substantial permeability. Water Wells within the Site Boundary According to the COGCC website and the Colorado Division of Water Resources there are no permitted water wells within Section 4, Township 6 South, Range 97 West. There are no permitted water wells in close proximity to the site. The nearest permitted water wells are shown in Section 5, Township 6 South, Range 97 West, and are located across the Conn Creek drainage from the proposed site. These wells are identified as belonging to Williams Production RMT, Cliffs Engineering, and Cities Service Oil and Gas Corp. Some of these wells appear to have been abandoned, and others appear to be used as monitoring wells. They are all located at an elevation of approximately 8,400 feet above mean sea level. Hydrologic Properties of Shallow Groundwater and Major Aquifers The Uinta — Animas aquifer in the Piceance Basin receives about 24,000 acre-feet per year of recharge, primarily in the upland areas near the margins of the aquifer. Discharge is approximately equal to recharge and primarily occurs in the valleys of Piceance Creek and Impact Analysis Page 5 OXY Pond 13 E/W Centralized E&P Waste Management Facility other tributaries to the White River or in the valley of the Colorado River and its tributaries (Robson and Banta, 1995). The permeability of the major formations in the Piceance Basin aquifers is relatively low. Permeability of the Uinta — Animas aquifer is dependent on the location and orientation of fractures. The potentiometric surface of the Uinta — Animas aquifer generally ranges from about 100 feet above land surface to 500 feet below land surface; the surface generally is near or above land surface in valleys in areas of groundwater discharge. Larger depths to water are more common in highland areas that are remote from streams or other sources of recharge (Robson and Banta, 1995). In the Piceance Basin, the potentiometric surface ranges in altitude from about 6,000 feet to 8,500 feet, and groundwater primarily flows toward the discharge areas along Piceance and Yellow Creeks (Robson and Banta, 1995). The total dissolved solids in the aquifer range from 500 milligrams per liter (mg/L) to 3,000 mg/L. Site Location in Relation to Nearby Floodplains The facility is not within a mapped FEMA flood hazard zone; however, it is located near the rim of the Cascade Creek canyon, an area that may be prone to flash floods. The site is located within 1560 feet of Cascade Creek, but is at an elevation of 200 feet to 400 feet above the creek. The site is not subject to COGCC Rule 317B since it is not close to the segment of the Colorado River that supplies the town of De Beque with drinking water. Existing Shallow Groundwater Quality Baseline groundwater quality sampling should occur prior to facility construction or modification to document pre -development conditions at the project site, as data in the area is currently not available. The groundwater quality, where it is present, is expected to be relatively fresh to `bicarbonate' type groundwater. Potential for Impacts to Nearby Surface Water and Groundwater Cascade Creek could potentially be adversely impacted if a release from the facility were to reach it. Shallow groundwater resources are not expected at this location. The pond will be constructed with a HDPE plastic liner to prevent seepage. 7. Groundwater and Aquifer Recharge Areas The proposed project site is not located in any mapped floodplain. An individual septic disposal system (ISDS) will not be used at this site, so soils will not have to support waste disposal. The site has been graded for use as a pond facility. BMPs will be implemented to control stormwater run-off and soil erosion. 8. Environmental Impacts a. Determination of Tong -term and short-term effects on flora and fauna The conversion of the site will not have a significant effect on the local flora and fauna. The site has been previously disturbed and graded for a pond facility. No critical wildlife habitat will be lost due to the conversion of the pad site to a centralized E & P waste facility. Noxious weeds will be controlled on the site during the life of the project. The site will be reclaimed after it is no longer required for natural gas production. Impact Analysis Page 6 OXY Pond 13 E/W Centralized E&P Waste Management Facility OXY commissioned ERO Resources Corporation (ERO) to prepare a biological resources survey of the site and that report is included as an attachment to this application. According to ERO, the site has the potential for one federally threatened, proposed and candidate species to occur near the project area. ERO surveyed the project site for the potential habitat for the greater sage grouse. They found the area to be poor habitat for this species. This conclusion corresponds with the Suitable Habitat Results Map of the adopted Garfield County Greater Sage -Grouse Conservation Plan. The project area is not located in an elk winter concentration area. ERO determined that there was no raptor nests observed near the project area. b. Determination of the effect on designated environmental resources, including critical wildlife habitat As stated above, the site has been previously disturbed and graded for a production pond. No critical wildlife habitat will be lost due to the conversion of the pond to an E & P waste facility. Noxious weeds will be controlled on the site during the life of the project. The site will be reclaimed after it is no longer required for natural gas production. c. Impacts on wildlife and domestic animals through creation of hazardous attractions, alteration of existing native vegetation, blockade of migration routes, use patterns, or other disruptions The proposed storage area will not create hazardous attractions or alter existing native vegetation. The proposal will not block wildlife migration routes or use patterns. d. Evaluation of any potential radiation hazard that may have been identified by the State or County Health Departments The proposed site is not located on or near a Uranium Mine Tailings Radiation Control Act (UMTRCA) Site or other known radiation hazard site. Radon is a naturally occurring, odorless and colorless radioactive gas that is produced by the radioactive decay of radioactive minerals present in the soils and bedrock. According to the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment (CDPHE), Colorado has a moderate to high radon potential. Since the site is a facility that does not have buildings or an area that is occupied throughout the work day, the potential presence of radon is not expected to represent a geologic hazard or a significant worker exposure issue. 9. Nuisance Adjacent lands will not be impacted by the generation of vapor, dust, smoke, glare or vibration. In accordance with OXY's Fugitive Dust Mitigation Plan, water will be used for dust suppression during construction and operation of the facility. Any lighting on-site will be downcast. Impact Analysis Page 7 OXY Pond 13 E/W Centralized E&P Waste Management Facility 10. Hours of Operation The Pond 13 facility will be accessible to Oxy personnel 24 hours a day, year around. No personnel will be stationed at the facility on a regular basis. Impact Analysis Page 8