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opposite side of the highway and the fact that natural filtration would have removed the <br /> clay. During this tour of the river, we met with Mark Lamb, Colorado Division of Wildlife, <br /> and discussed our multiple observations. We then drove to the west bank of the river <br /> and inspected the bank for any signs of discharge. It was observed that the water <br /> quality was definitely more cloudy on the west side with a division point near an old <br /> mine working, but again no discernable point source could be seen. During this <br /> inspection, Mark Lamb (I think), called Michael and said he had found signs of a <br /> potential discharge near the mine pump house at the river. We then drove to the pump <br /> house and did observe that there appeared to be increased sediment (visually more <br /> than adjacent areas) on the gravel at the point at which the intake pipe for the pump <br /> house entered the river. This essentially ended our inspection and Michael and I made <br /> sure we had phone number contacts. I told Michael that I would be back on site the next <br /> morning and talking to all of the employees to gain further information on what may <br /> have happened. I then returned home and received a phone call at approximately 5:15 <br /> p.m. from Tom Kaldenback, Director or Colorado Division of Reclamation, Mining, and <br /> Safety, requesting that we cease operations until the source and remedy of the <br /> discharge could be determined. I called the mine and operation ceased at <br /> approximately 5:30 p.m. I was also asked to provide a plan to immediately determine <br /> the cause of the discharge and a remedy to prevent it from reoccurring. I agreed and <br /> said I would return to the mine the following morning for fact finding to formulate such a <br /> plan. This document is in direct response to that request. <br /> On Saturday I returned to the sight and discussed the issues with Tom Gibson, another <br /> HMMC Managing Partner and the current sight manager. After lengthy discussion with <br /> Tom and other employees, it has been determined that the probable cause of the <br /> incident was the valve on the fresh water line from the pump house in the river to the <br /> process plant and Pond 4, being left in the wrong position when the pump was turned <br /> off. After the normal processing shift was over at around 6:30 p.m., the valve had been <br /> re-set to refill Pond 4. The pump was subsequently turned off at approximately 9:00 <br /> p.m. and evidently the valve was not re-set to the normal position. Due to the abnormal <br /> amount of sediments in Pond 4, the pond level achieved a higher level than normal <br /> while being re-filled, thus allowing the sediment laden Pond 4 water to backflow down <br /> the pipe and into the river. <br /> Plan to Prevent Reoccurrence <br /> After approval from Division of Reclamation, Mining, and Safety, HMMC would <br /> immediately undertake the following steps. <br /> 1. The fresh water pipe discharge to Pond 4 would immediately be raised to a discharge <br /> level above the Pond 4 overflow pipe thus preventing any future backflow from Pond 4 <br /> down the fresh water pipe. <br /> 3 <br />