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PERMIT #: M-2008-082 <br />INSPECTOR'S INITIALS: ECS <br />INSPECTION DATE: April 12, 20I8 <br />require the operator to continue to monitor the groundwater levels in the area at least weekly and to report the <br />groundwater monitoring data to DRMS no later than 5/31/18 so that the effectiveness of the corrective <br />action(s) can be evaluated. <br />CORRECTIVE ACTION DUE DATE: 5/31/18 <br />OBSERVATIONS <br />This was a complaint inspection conducted by DRMS at the Morton Lakes site. This inspection was conducted <br />by Eric Scott of DRMS who met permittee representative Joe Lamanna on-site. Following a brief on-site <br />meeting DRMS and the permittee then met with Randy Wright, A&W Water Service (A&W) representative, to <br />discuss the current situation and continued monitoring of the corrective action(s). <br />DRMS received a compliant submitted via the DRMS website on March 19, 2018 from Wes Knoll (lawyer for <br />A&W). The complaint alleged impact to an off-site commercial production well owned by A&W and located <br />approximately 650 feet north of the Permittee's unlined Stage 6 mining cell. Mining in Stage 6 has been <br />completed, however the permittee stated that they intend to continue to dewater Stage 6 by pumping until <br />the slurry wall is installed. The complaint stated that the A&W well was no longer able to sustain pumping <br />rates at the previous rate (approximately 400gpm), and that this was causing the pump to cavitate. This <br />complaint is substantiated by monitoring well data from the immediate area (Morton well MW -107, and A&W <br />monitoring well) showing significant declines in static groundwater levels throughout 2017 and early 2018. <br />The locations of these features and a summary of the groundwater elevation data is shown on the attached <br />documents provided by the permittee during this inspection. <br />Prior to the field inspection, the permittee submitted a Technical Revision (TR05) to create a groundwater <br />recharge area utilizing approximately 7 acres of the north end of Stage 6. DRMS approved this TR on March 22 <br />and it was immediately implemented by the permittee. The recharge pond has been partially filled with "free <br />river" water (see attached photos). As can be seen in the attached data, the response has been immediate <br />and as of April 11 the static groundwater levels observed in the A&W monitoring well have increased by <br />approximately two feet. It is believed that groundwater levels will continue to rise over the next several <br />weeks (at least) and that this corrective action should eliminate the adverse impact to the A&W well. <br />DRMS will require that a stability analysis be performed on the existing/proposed compacted earth berm <br />currently dividing Stage 6 as soon as possible, and the final design be submitted to DRMS as a technical <br />revision prior to increasing the berm elevation, or raising the water level in the existing recharge pond. <br />The permittee will be required to submit all groundwater monitoring data to DRMS at the end of May so that <br />DRMS can evaluate the effectiveness of the corrective action. It would also be very useful, if possible, to <br />conduct another pump test on the A&W well when groundwater levels stabilize to determine the sustainable <br />well pumping rate at that time. DRMS would also encourage the permittee to install the slurry wall between <br />Stage 6 and the A&W well as soon as feasible to minimize the impact of continued dewatering within Stage 6, <br />and possibly eliminate the need for the groundwater recharge pond. This concluded the inspection and DRMS <br />left the site at approximately 11:15. <br />Page 2 of 5 <br />