Laserfiche WebLink
vegetation establishment. Instead, there are concerns related to hydraulic communication between <br />the surface and subsurface resulting from potential subsidence impacts. The Division has determined <br />that that these areas meet the reclamation success criteria for vegetation based upon the data submitted <br />with SL -8. The vegetative success is based upon vegetation sampling performed in 2011 and <br />2012. These 8 acres will be eligible for Phase III bond release following resolution of the hydrology <br />and subsidence concerns. <br />When a future Phase III bond release application is submitted for the 8 acres in question, the Division <br />will still need to conduct a surface inspection. Barring any significant changes to the vegetation, the <br />Division should be able to find the vegetation data submitted with SL -8 acceptable. <br />SUBSIDENCE <br />In a letter dated October 7, 2013, Mr. Fontanari filed a formal written objection to the pending bond <br />release application SL -8. Prior to the submittal of his objection letter, Mr. Fontanari voiced his <br />concerns about several areas located both within and outside of his property boundary. The DRMS <br />arranged an on-site meeting with Mr. Fontanari to specifically inspect each area of the site where he <br />had concerns. This was conducted on September 18th and an inspection report was issued on <br />September 25, 2013. Please refer to the DRMS Inspection Report dated September 25, 2013 for a <br />detailed description of each location that Mr. Fontanari has raised concerns about which are also in <br />part the focus of his October 7, 2013 objection letter. <br />We began the inspection on September 18th at the North Decline where Mr. Fontanari showed us <br />some concerns he had with approved permanent ditches and sediment control. When we finished at <br />the North Decline, Mr. Fontanari stated that he had three additional concerns on the south side of his <br />property. We followed Rudy to a location of an upper water diversion pipe which is now outside of <br />the current permit area on some of his adjacent surface properties. Mr. Fontanari took us to an area <br />where he has a pipeline that runs water from Rapid Creek to his riprap gravel pit (Permit No. M-1996- <br />076). The location of the upper water diversion pipe is shown in Photograph No. 24. Mr. Fontanari <br />indicated that he believes subsidence from the old mine works is causing his pipeline to sag, <br />interrupting the flow and causing his "clean out areas" to fill in with sediment. He also pointed out <br />an area on a cutslope that he believes shows some evidence of subsidence. Jim Stover of J.E. Stover <br />& Associates and I inspected the area and did not see any evidence of subsidence in the vicinity of <br />the buried water pipeline. There was no distinguishable evidence of sagging and the feature Mr. <br />Fontanari pointed out on the cutslope appears to be a small rockfall from the steep face of the slope <br />(see Photograph No. 25). Two small cracks at the surface were noted in the location of the buried <br />pipeline (Photograph No.26). It is unclear if this is related to subsidence or from slumping of the <br />backfill material used to bury the pipeline during compaction of the backfill. Mr. Fontanari also <br />commented about a lower irrigation ditch that conveys flow from Rapid Creek to what SCC refers to <br />as the "Carey" Pond in reference to the property owner's name. This is an open water diversion ditch <br />that Mr. Fontanari says has "bellied" in one area and now water backs up and overtops a culvert on <br />one of the county roads (see Photograph No. 27). Mr. Fontanari explained that water backs up to a <br />point where the county road is flooded before water will flow through the culvert. We inspected the <br />ditch and road crossing. Based on our observations, we did not see any immediate evidence that <br />subsidence is the cause of his ditch and pipeline problems. At the lower irrigation ditch, the culvert <br />at the road crossing is silted in almost entirely on the discharge end of the culvert pipe (Photograph <br />No. 28). Both of these areas (upper and lower diversions) were released from bond in 2007 with SL - <br />Page 21 <br />