2016-02-17_HYDROLOGY - M1996052 - Laserfiche WebLink

Home Browse Search

Mr. Rick Parsons, P.E. February 10, 2016 L.G. Everist Combined SWSP Page 3 of 14 Mining depletions from Carbon Valley Pit, Rinn Valley Pit and Firestone Pit are estimated to affect the Saint Vrain Creek below the Last Chance Ditch headgate. Mining depletions from Fort Lupton Sand and Gravel are estimated to affect the South Platte River above the Meadow Island Ditch No. 1 headgate. Mining depletions from Star Water Resources are estimated to affect the Cache La Poudre River at a point approximately eight miles upstream from the confluence with the South Platte River. The proposed replacement sources for these pits are Rural Ditch Company shares and Lupton Bottom Ditch shares during the summer months. During the winter months and for portions of the summer months where Rural Ditch Company shares and Lupton Bottom Ditch shares are not sufficient the depletions will be replaced by releases of water stored in the Rinn Valley Phase 3 Reservoir (WDID 0504005), Star Water Resource Reservoir (WDID 0203932) and, if needed, nontributary Laramie-Fox Hills water withdrawn from well nos. 77371-F, 77372-F, 77373-F, and 77374-F. In accordance with the letter dated April 30, 2010 (copy attached) from the Colorado Division of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 identified four approaches to satisfy this requirement. In accordance with approach no. 4, you have provided an affidavit dated November 18, 2015 that dedicates the 1.41 shares of the Rural Ditch water and 1 Lupton Bottom Ditch share for 2016 and 1.41 shares of the Rural Ditch water and 1 Lupton Bottom Ditch share for 2017 as replacement water solely for this SWSP. A copy of the affidavit is attached to this letter. For the purposes of this SWSP, this affidavit will be accepted for the dedication of the shares; however, if the State Engineer determines that a different affidavit or dedication process is necessary to assure proper dedication of the shares, additional information may be required prior to future SWSP approvals. In accordance with approach nos. 1 and 3, you have indicated that a bond has been obtained for each site that can cover the cost of lining of each site to prevent the exposure of ground water. The current bond amount for each pit is shown in Table C below. TABLE C - DRMS Bonding Site Name DRMS # Bond Amount Final Reclamation Carbon Valley Pit M-2001-017 $665,800 Compacted Clay Liner Rinn Valley Pit M-1997-093 $548,000 Compacted Clay Liner Firestone Pit M-1996-052 $509,900 Compacted Clay Liner Fort Lupton Sand M-1999-120 $2,002,400.00 Slurry Walls and Gravel Star Water Slurry Wall and Pre-81 Pond Resources M-1977-522 $1,066,000