2016-08-02_REPORT - M2004009 - Laserfiche WebLink

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TURNPIKE MINING RESOURCE ANNUAL REPORT DMG PERMIT NO. M-2004-009 REPORT YEAR: AUG. 4, 2015 THRU AUG. 4, 2016 This DMG Regular 112 Permit (No. M-2004-009) was approved by the Division for operations on August 4, 2004 and the most recent amendment (AM-2) to this permit was approved on March 18, 2013, changing the post-mining land use and reclamation plan. A revised mine plan was submitted and approved as a Technical Revision (No. 4) in December 2014 showing the remaining oil and gas facilities and mine plan revisions. During the reporting year, an area consisting of approximately 3.75 acres (that was mined in the previous reporting period) was backfilled with shale in the northeast area of the "Triangle" and an area consisting of approximately 7.5 acres in the central area of the "Triangle"was mined and also backfilled with shale. As part of the requirement for utilizing the excavated shale as backfill on this permit site, monitoring and testing of the compacted fill is required and the test results are to be submitted with the annual report. Two lifts of shale were placed and compacted into both areas shown on the map as being backfilled. This brought the grade of the area of backfill up to the level where overburden and topsoil can be placed above the shale to bring the area back to final grade and as a prepped surface for seeding. The testing reports are somewhat bulky and complex, but two pages of test results per each lift for both areas that were backfilled are included as Attachment 1 that shows that the resulting moisture density, compaction and hydraulic conductivity of the backfill easily falls within the required ranges for each test. As part of the requirement for annual reporting at this mine site, groundwater elevations from three groundwater monitoring wells are to be submitted. The requirement is for a minimum of sampling to occur quarterly until dry mining (pumping down of the alluvial water table) comes within 300 ft. of the monitoring well. This is to obtain baseline ("natural") groundwater elevations. At that time, no monitoring would be required as the effects of dewatering would artificially lower the groundwater elevation in the monitoring well. After backfilling with shale is complete around the monitoring well, monitoring of the well is to be performed every two months for one year. The effects of the shale backfill can then be ascertained with respect to groundwater mounding upgradient of the shale backfill and groundwater shadowing downgradient of the shale backfill. Two neighbors to the east-southeast of the shale backfill could experience effects of groundwater mounding and flooding of the lowest portions of their homes. OW-1 and OW-2 monitoring wells were installed for these residences. One neighbor to the southwest could experience groundwater shadowing affecting an alluvial well on the property. OW-3 was installed for monitoring of this structure. All three monitoring well locations are shown on the annual report map. Attachment 2 is a table of the water level elevations of all three monitoring wells and the date the measurements were taken.