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PERMIT #: M-1999-076 <br />INSPECTOR'S INITIALS: SJM <br />INSPECTION DATE: June 6, 2017 <br />OBSERVATIONS <br />This was a normal monitoring inspection of the Highway 50 Borrow Pit No. 2; DRMS file# M-1999-076. This <br />site is located 10 miles southeast of Grand Junction, Colorado in Mesa County. I, Stephanie Mitchell of the <br />Colorado Division of Reclamation, Mining and Safety conducted the inspection. Mr. Jon Mueller of Elam <br />Construction, Inc. accompanied me on the inspection. <br />The mine identification sign and permit boundary markers were not in place during the inspection. This is not <br />seen as a problem due to the current stage of reclamation. <br />Overall, the site appears to have been graded to match the surrounding topography. No stockpiles are in <br />place at the site. The amount of vegetation is adequate at the site. However, tamarisk, Russian Olive and <br />Russian Knapweed were all observed. Elam submitted a weed management plan as technical revision in 2005. <br />The Operator ensures that they will be spraying the site in the spring. The Division will be closely monitoring <br />the progress of the weed (Russian Knapweed) management in the future. Because the site was in final <br />reclamation prior to January 19, 2005, the site is considered "grandfathered in" respect to Russian Olive and <br />Tamarisk. Division staff has enclosed a copy of DRMS policy regarding this issue. <br />As noted in the previous three inspection reports, the site is impounding water. This is still considered a <br />problem at the beginning of the inspection report. A well permit to account for the evaporative losses is <br />required bythe Division of Water Resources. Enforcement action will be initiated if an evaporative loss permit <br />or another form of compliance is not received by the Division on or before October 30, 2017. In July of 2013, <br />Elam wrote a letter to the Division ensuring that an approval for augmentation will be filed with the Water <br />Court or plans would be completed to otherwise mitigate the hydrologic balance problem by March 31, 2014. <br />This has still not been resolved. <br />Overall it appears that the reclamation of the site is proceeding well, over the next several years the grasses <br />and shrubs should become more prominent. <br />Responses to this inspection report should be directed to Stephanie Mitchell at the Division of Reclamation, <br />Mining & Safety, Grand Junction Field Office, 101 S. 3rd Street, Suite 301, Grand Junction, Colorado 81501, <br />phone number 970.242.5025. <br />Page 2 of 5 <br />