2016-03-29_INSPECTION - M1977141

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PERMIT#: M-1977-141 INSPECTOR'S INITIALS: MAC INSPECTION DATE: March 2,2016 OBSERVATIONS The inspection was conducted by Michael Cunningham and Wally Erickson of the Division of Reclamation, Mining and Safety (Division). Connie Davis, Joel Bolduc and Christine Felz were present on behalf of Aggregate Industries. Ernst Strenge was present on behalf of Boulder County Parks & Open Space, the property owner for the Lyons Quarry. The Lyons Quarry is located approximately 3 miles southwest of Lyons, Colorado on Highway 7. The site is permitted for 71 acres and the post-mining land use is rangeland. The Division approved a request for Temporary Cessation of the Lyons Quarry on February 16, 2011. The first five year term of Temporary Cessation ended on February 16, 2016. To date, the Division has not received a request for a second five year term of Temporary Cessation from the Operator. During the inspection, the Operator informed the Division that Aggregate Industries does not currently have any plans to resume mining operations in the future. As a result, the Lyons Quarry is considered to be active and reclamation of the site must commence in accordance with Rule 3.1.3. Notice of the expiration of Temporary Cessation will be sent under separate cover. Hydrologic Balance: The St. Vrain Creek was flowing at the time of the inspection and has primarily returned to its pre-flood location. A section of the St. Vrain Creek, in the area of the former scale house, has not returned to the previously established channel. According to Boulder County, there is no requirement from the Army Corps of Engineers to return the St. Vrain Creek to its pre-existing channel. Aggregate Industries and Boulder County do not have any plans to relocate the St. Vrain Creek from its current location. The Division observed a small pond on the south side of the St. Vrain Creek near the base of the highwall. The pond is approximately 0.36 acres; the pond dimensions were obtained from a Google Earth aerial photograph. According to the permit file, the pond was previously used as a wash pond and to capture stormwater. The pond sits at a similar elevation as that of the St. Vrain Creek and well established cattails were observed around the perimeter. Based on these observations, the Division has reason to believe that groundwater is exposed within the pond. Pursuant to Rule 3.1.6(1)(a), Operators must be in compliance with applicable Colorado water laws and regulations governing injury to existing water rights. In addition, State law requires that a well permit and substitute water supply plan must be obtained where there is exposed groundwater. The exposed groundwater has been cited as a problem and will require corrective action by the Operator; please see the first page of this report for additional information. Reclamation Success: As noted in the previous inspection report, the Lyons Quarry was impacted by the flooding of St. Vrain Creek during September, 2013. The site access road and bridge were washed away during the 2013 flood and the temporary access which was established following the flood has been removed. Currently, the only way to access the site is by foot. According to Boulder County, the site access will not be restored until late 2017. Site conditions at the Lyons Quarry mostly remain unchanged since the last monitoring inspection. The current Reclamation Plan calls for placing a sediment cap over the final benched highwall to create a final grade of 3H:1V. The current highwall is approximately 2,000 in length. Portions of the highwall have been benched, although the majority of the highwall is at a near vertical angle. A significant amount of blasting and earthwork is required to bench the existing highwall so that it can be backfilled to 3H:1V. As noted above, the Page 3 of 7