2015-07-09_HYDROLOGY - M1977439 - Laserfiche WebLink

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Upper Poudre Combined SWSP Page 6 of 11 June 26, 2015 The delivery point is on the north side of this pond and from the pond the water will flow to the Cache La Poudre River. Typically, any time water is being delivered to the pond, water from the pond will spill into the Cache La Poudre River; however, in the event that deliveries are made while water is not spilling from the pond, the Applicant is required to notify and coordinate with the water commissioner to ensure that depletions are replaced in time, location, and amount. All deliveries will be recorded daily and any excess deliveries will be sent directly back to the river without claiming augmentation credit. The return flow obligations associated with the use of the Taylor Et Gill Ditch shares will be calculated using the same return flow factors as shown in the attached Table 4, column E. Return flow obligations during the summer months will be calculated by multiplying the monthly delivery to the river by its respective monthly factor. Obligations during winter months will be calculated by multiplying the previous irrigation season's annual delivery to the river (54.88 acre-feet for 2014) by its respective monthly factor. Return flow obligations will be calculated based on the actual timing of direct returns. After accounting for return flow obligations, the Taylor Et Gill Ditch shares delivered directly to the Cache La Poudre River are projected to generate a total of 97.51 acre-feet of available replacement water during this plan period. A monthly breakdown of the stream depletions from the mining sites as well as the replacement credits from recharge and direct delivery of the Taylor Et Gill Ditch shares is shown in the attached Table 5. Surplus replacement credits may be used for replacement of depletions at other MMM project sites under separate approval. Long Term Augmentation In accordance with the letter dated April 30, 2010 (copy attached) from the Colorado Division of Reclamation, Mining, and Safety ("DRMS"), all sand and gravel mining operators must comply with the requirements of the Colorado Reclamation Act and the Mineral Rules and Regulations for the protection of water resources. The April 30, 2010 letter from DRMS requires that you provide information to DRMS to demonstrate you can replace long term injurious stream depletions that result from mining related exposure of ground water. The DRMS letter identifies four approaches to satisfy this requirement. In accordance with approach nos. 1 and 3, you have obtained bonds through DRMS which may be used to backfill or line areas of exposed ground water. According to the mining permits with DRMS, the reclamation plan for the Home Office Pit and North Taft Hill Expansion Site is to create unlined ground water ponds. These two sites also have conditional water storage rights for future lined reservoirs in water court case no. 92CW157. For the Overland Ponds site, the DRMS mining permit reclamation plan is to create lined reservoirs and the site has pending water storage rights for future lined reservoirs in water court case no. OOCW251. If reclamation at any mine site produces a permanent water surface exposing ground water to evaporation, an application for a plan for augmentation must be filed with the Division 1 Water Court at least three years prior to the completion of mining to include, but not be limited to, long-term evaporation losses. If a lined pond results after reclamation, replacement of lagged depletions shall continue until there is no longer an effect of stream flow. A summary of the final reclamation plan and the current posted bond amounts for each site is shown on the next page.