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COLORADO
<br />Division of Water Resources
<br />Department of Natural Resources
<br />1313 Sherman Street, Room 821
<br />Denver, CO 80203
<br />RECEIVED
<br />MAR 0 2 2016
<br />DIVISION OF RECLAMATION
<br />MINING & SAFETY
<br />Response to Reclamation Permit Partial Acreage Release Request Consideration
<br />DATE: March 2, 2016
<br />TO: Peter S. Hays, Environmental Protection Specialist
<br />CC:
<br />Division 1 Office, District 3 Water Commissioner
<br />FROM: Sarah Brucker, P.E.
<br />✓ ✓
<br />RE: Greeley West Pit, File No. M-1977-081(AR-03)
<br />Applicant/Operator: City of Greeley
<br />Representative: William Schenderlein, Blue Earth Environmental, (970) 227-2803
<br />Section 36, Twp 6 North, Rng 66 West, 6th P.M., Weld County
<br />COMMENTS: The applicant has requested a partial acreage release for 126.48 acres at the Greeley West Pit,
<br />leaving 76.65 acres within the permit boundary for M-1977-081. The area remaining within the permit
<br />boundary will consist of a 38.49 -acre parcel north of the Cache la Poudre River and a 38.16 -acre parcel south
<br />of the river, including portions of the SE Ponds. The majority of the area (119.37 acres) requested to be
<br />removed from M-1977-081, including the SW Ponds (aka Flatiron Pits 3 8 4), portions of the SE Ponds (aka
<br />Flatiron Pit 5), and the NE Pond (aka Flatiron Pit C), will continue to be included within the permit boundary of
<br />M-2002-020. The remaining 7.11 acres requested to be released are outside the boundaries of M-2002-020,
<br />located along the edges of the permit boundary for M-1977-081, and will be a final release.
<br />An amendment to M-2002-020 approved in September 2012 incorporated 197.51 acres of the Greeley West site,
<br />containing Flatiron Pits 3, 4, 5, and C, into the 25th Ave Site. The City of Greeley plan for augmentation (WDID
<br />030330) decreed in Division 1 Water Court case no. 99CW231 includes evaporation from approximately 100
<br />acres of exposed ground water surface at the Flatiron Gravel Pit Nos. 3, 4, and 5 and adjoining pits in Section
<br />36, Township 6 North, Range 66 West. The submitted accounting for case no. 99CW231 shows evaporation
<br />from 13.1 acres of exposed ground water surface area associated with Flatiron Gravel Pits 3, 4, and 5 (and
<br />adjoining pits) is being augmented. Depletions associated with mining at Flatiron Pits 3, 4, 5, and C, including
<br />the removal of mined product, dewatering, and post -mining refilling of the pits, are replaced under the 25th
<br />Ave Substitute Water Supply Plan, currently valid through May 31, 2016. This office has no objection to the
<br />removal of the requested 119.37 acres from permit no. M-1977-081.
<br />The remaining 7.11 acres consist of a street access, railroad right-of-way, county trail, and municipal
<br />stormwater ditch and do not appear to have any impact on water resources; therefore this office has no
<br />objection to their final release.
<br />The Applicant may contact the State Engineer's Office with any questions.
<br />1313 Sherman Street, Room 821, Denver, CO 80203 P 303.866.3581 F 303.866.3585 www.water.state.co.us
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