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PERMIT #: M-1978-078-SG <br />INSPECTOR’S INITIALS: AME <br />INSPECTION DATE: August 27, 2015 <br /> <br /> <br />Page 2 of 10 <br />OBSERVATIONS <br /> <br />This was a normal monitoring inspection of the George Ansley Pit (Permit No. M-1978-078-SG) conducted by <br />Amy Eschberger of the Division of Reclamation, Mining and Safety (Division). Mr. John DeWitt and Mr. Rick <br />Ashcraft represented the operator, Lincoln County during the inspection. The site is located approximately 23 <br />miles southeast from Karval, Colorado. Access to the site is off of Co Rd 46. The affected land is owned by <br />George A. Ansley. The approved post-mining land use for the site is rangeland. <br /> <br />This is a 112c operation permitted for 17.1 acres to mine sand and gravel for use in county road construction <br />and maintenance. The maximum mining depth is approximately 15-18 feet. The operation began mining in the <br />northern portion of the permit area and is advancing generally southward. Salvaged topsoil is stored along the <br />pit perimeter. Any overburden removed by the operation will either be used as binder or stockpiled for <br />reclamation use. No material processing occurs on site. On 9/2/2015, the Division approved a Technical <br />Revision (Revision No. TR-05) to update the Mining Plan Map and Reclamation Plan Map to more accurately <br />define the permit boundary using GPS coordinates. <br /> <br />At the time of the inspection, the weather was clear, warm and sunny. No standing water was observed on site. <br />A permit identification sign was posted at the main site entrance off of Co Rd 46. The Division informed Mr. <br />DeWitt that this sign did not meet the requirements of Rule 3.1.12(1), as it did not include the correct permit <br />number, the operator name, or a statement that the permit was issued by the CO MLRB. After the inspection, <br />Mr. DeWitt submitted photographic evidence that the sign had been replaced (Photo 1). Therefore, the Division <br />considers this issue to be resolved and a problem will not be cited. The permit boundary was adequately <br />delineated with metal posts. A barbed wire fence lines the northern boundary and a portion of the eastern <br />boundary. The site was not active during the inspection. However, the county extracts and/or hauls material off <br />site every year, which is in compliance with its intermittent status. <br /> <br />The Division estimates that approximately 10.3 acres have been disturbed by the operation (see enclosed <br />Google Earth image of site). This disturbance includes a bowl-shaped pit that is approximately 15 feet deep <br />with mined wall slope gradients of mainly 3H:1V to 4H:1V (Photos 2-6), topsoil stockpiles stored along the <br />southeastern and southwestern edges of the pit (Photos 7 and 8), and a short haul road. No material stockpiles <br />remain on site. The northern and eastern edges of the pit are very close to the permit boundary. However, the <br />mined walls in these areas have already been graded to the approved slope gradient and are in reclamation. <br />Therefore, it appears that additional disturbance of these slopes is not anticipated as the pit expands southward. <br />The topsoil stockpiles appeared to be stable with vegetative cover (consisting mainly of annual weeds). <br /> <br />Evidence of erosion was observed on the western (reclaimed) mined wall (Photos 9 and 10) and the <br />southeastern mined wall (Photo 11) in the form of several rills and some small gullies. According to Mr. <br />Ashcraft, the western mined wall was retopsoiled and seeded approximately 3 years ago. The Division observed <br />what appeared to be volunteer vegetation growing along this western slope, including some blue grama, <br />buffalograss, and annual weeds (mainly Russian thistle and wild sunflowers). Mr. Ashcraft committed to <br />repairing the erosion damage, replacing topsoil if needed, and reseeding the western slope, as this portion will <br />not be redisturbed by the operation. The Division also discussed with Mr. Ashcraft and Mr. DeWitt possible <br />ways to divert stormwater runoff around this edge of the pit, at least while it is in reclamation. One possible <br />solution was to construct a small, low-lying berm along the outside edge of the wall. The Division also <br />recommended grading this slope a little flatter to help minimize stormwater concentration on the upper portion <br />of the slope. <br /> <br />Mr. Ashcraft indicated that the operation would continue working the southern pit wall within a few weeks. If <br />this wall is not mined soon as indicated, the operator should repair the erosion damage to help stabilize the wall