2016-04-08_INSPECTION - M2000082

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PERMIT #: M-2000-082 INSPECTOR'S INITIALS: PSH INSPECTION DATE: March 11, 2016 OBSERVATIONS The E 8th Street Operation was inspected by Peter Hays with the Division of Reclamation, Mining and Safety (Division/DRMS) as part of a complaint investigation for an impacted groundwater well near the mining operation. The citizen complaint (CT -01) was received from Mr. Jack Tyrrell by the Division on March 7, 2016. The complaint letter identified the Loloff Mine as the cause of the groundwater impacts, however the E 8th Street Operation is closer to the well therefore, the site was included in the well complaint investigation by the Division. The Loloff Mine is located approximately 900 feet north of the Tyrrell well and approximately 0.25 miles north of the E 8th site. The Tyrrell well is located northwest of the E 8th site, approximately 430 feet from the northwest corner. A map of the Tyrrell well, Loloff Mine, and the E 8th Ave site locations is attached for reference. The well is located within the Office of the State Engineers (SEO) required notification area for the E 8th site, therefore the E 8th site was included in the complaint investigation by the Division. Mr. Jack Miller with Superior Oilfield Services Co., LTD (Superior) was present during the inspection. A copy of the complaint letter was provided to Mr. Miller during the inspection. A hard copy of the complaint letter will be mailed to the Operator for the Operator's record. Tyrrell Well The Tyrrell property is located at 417 East 8th Street, Greeley, CO 80631. The complaint letter states well water for the house and shop on the property were lost on February 28, 2016. The Division met with Mr. Tyrrell on his property prior to the inspection of the E 8th site. The Tyrrell well is registered with the Office of the State Engineer under permit # 134824-A. The well was constructed in 1983 to a total depth of thirty five (35) feet below grade. Shale bedrock was encountered at twenty nine and a half (29.5) feet below grade. The well is approved for domestic use at a rate of 15 GPM. The upper well casing and wellhead were observed during the inspection. The groundwater and pump elevations could not be determined during the inspection, due to the lack of an access port in the well. The well location was GPS surveyed using a Trimble Juno 3B by the Division. Mr. Tyrrell stated Quality Well and Pump (Quality) inspected the well on February 28, 2016. Mr. Tyrrell stated Quality determined the well pumps were operational and the reason for the lack of water was insufficient groundwater in the well. The Division requested Mr. Tyrrell contact Quality for information on the depth to water, well depth and depth to the pump measured during the Quality inspection, if available. The information has not been received by the Division as of the mailing date of this inspection report. The Tyrrell well pumps to a cistern before water is pumped to the house and shop building. Mr. Tyrrell did not know the capacity of the cistern or if the cistern could be filled with delivered water as a possible short term mitigation measure for the well. E 8th Street Operation The E 8th Street Operation was active during the inspection. Mining Phase 2 was being dewatered and mined. The Operator stated Phase 2 has been dewatered for 1.5 to 2 years. The Tyrrell well is located approximately 430 feet from Phase 2 of the E 8th Street Operation. The mining phase is dewatered by a dewatering ditch around the perimeter of the excavation and a dewatering pump located in the southwest corner of the phase. The mining phase was estimated by the Division to be seventy (70) percent reclaimed. The north, west and Page 2 of 10