2015-07-15_REPORT - M1988044 - Laserfiche WebLink

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thistles are having a banner year and a portion of the plant site where thistle, knapweed, and a small amount of spurge are present. FW Other base maps did not need modification even though they cover the larger original area. The information is still relevant for the small footprint of the lease. GEOLOGIC CONDITIONS ENCOUNTERED: No unusual or unexpected geologic conditions were encountered in the last year. The deposit continues to exhibit a fairly high degree of variability but some reasonably good pockets of sand have been found. These were followed first to the north along the eastern edge of the mining area closest to the small drainage and are now turning to the west away from the edge in hopes of curling around and into the back of a zone where deep clay seams have been found. It is thought that the far side of this pocket of clay contains good sand and it can be approached from the north side, thereby avoiding a need to mine through the clay seams with little or no production of sand in the process. So far, so good. HYDROLOGIC CONDITIONS ENCOUNTERED: No groundwater was encountered in the mining pit operated in the past year. Flows in Coal Creek were generally fairly normal during the winter, but increased markedly as precipitation increased in the Spring of 2015. Other tributaries of Coal Creek that join the main stream on this property have carried a good deal of water at times during the unusual 2015 moisture influx. But no "disasters" have happened. As has been the case in the past, accumulation of water in the pit seeps into the ground fairly quickly except where clay forms the substrate. For the most part the pit bottom remains dry. RECLAMATION PERMIT STATUS: Changes were made to the permit as a result of the new lease requirements. The complete permit was edited to remove all irrelevant references to old requirements that no longer apply or references to property that is no longer in the lease. With the release of the South Lowland from the permit bond those portions were also subsequently removed and that area is no longer relevant to the permit or the lease. Minor changes were made to the mining plan for the remaining mining area, but these were more refinements than changes. The reclamation plan remained as stated previously with the only modifications being for references to lands that no longer are in the lease or methods that are no longer relevant or sensible. 404 PERMIT STATUS: As stated in previous reports, the 404 permit mitigation requirements were met and approved by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. No further analysis of the bottomland vegetation within the exclosures is required. However, this should not be taken to mean that the other requirements of the permit have been lifted and the site is now in a condition where anything anyone wants to do in the riparian corridor can proceed. Those requirements continue so long as there is a riparian corridor and a United States Clean Water Act. Any disturbances such as mining, drilling, or construction activities or any other modifications to the riparian corridor must first be approved by the Corps under the applicable and appropriate permit requirements. And the conditions of the permit whose provisions have been met are still applicable. It is important to recognize that a 404 permit such as the one issued does not actually apply to the party that was issued the permit, but rather applies to the land irrespective of how ownership of that land might change. Therefore, even though Schmidt has completed their responsibilities it is now the responsibility of the State of Colorado to keep the land in compliance with the terms of the permit and the Clean Water Act. In the event the State Land Board staff does not have a complete Status report for 2015 due July 15, 2015 Page 2 of 10