2020-04-06_HYDROLOGY - M1977151 - Laserfiche WebLink

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Greeley Pit SWSP April 6, 2020 Plan ID 2965 Page 6 of 10 Greeley Pit and the confluence with the South Platte River. Therefore, as long as a diversion structure is not sweeping the South Platte River, the Aurora lease is able to provide replacement water on behalf of the Greeley Pit. Additional Sources Supplemental leases will be obtained in the event that the above-described sources are insufficient to replace all depletions from the Greeley Pit. Such supplemental leases may be obtained from any authorized augmentation source that is capable of making replacements at the most upstream calling right impacted by the Greeley Pit depletions. Lease of Excess Credits The Applicant has requested permission to lease out any of its excess replacement credit to other gravel pit SWSPs approved pursuant to section 37-90-137(11), C.R.S., to the extent such excess replacement credit exists. The Applicant must provide written notice to the Division Engineer and Water Commissioner at least 30 days in advance of the desired commencement of use of the excess replacement credits, which must include the specific plan in which the credits will be used, the provision in the plan that allows an unnamed source to be added for credit, the annual and monthly amount of excess replacement credit available, the location at which the water will be delivered to the stream, and a copy of a lease agreement between the Applicant and the purchaser of the excess replacement credits if the additional plan is not owned by the Applicant. The Applicant cannot claim credit for the use of the excess replacement credits in any other plan until they have received written approval from the Division Engineer or Water Commissioner. Any use of any such excess replacement credits must continue to be directly related to the mining of sand and gravel. Long Term Augmentation The final reclamation plan for the mining site is to create four unlined lakes with a total surface area of 95 acres. These lakes will expose groundwater to evaporation and as such will create a long term augmentation obligation. In accordance with the letter dated April 30, 2010 (copy attached) from the Colorado Division of Reclamation, Mining, and Safety ("DRMS"), all sand and gravel mining operators must comply with the requirements of the Colorado Reclamation Act and the Mineral Rules and Regulations for the protection of water resources. The April 30, 2010 letter from DRMS requires that you provide information to DRMS to demonstrate you can replace long term injurious stream depletions that result from mining related exposure of groundwater. The DRMS letter identifies four approaches to satisfy this requirement. In accordance with approach no. 4, you have provided a written statement dated March 26, 2020 that dedicates all 6.25 shares of the Applicant's GIC water as replacement water solely for this SWSP for as long as there are depletions at this gravel pit site or until such time as another replacement source is obtained. A copy of the statement is attached to this letter. The 6.25 GIC shares owned by Hiner are not sufficient by themselves to provide long term augmentation water for the current 71.8 acres of exposed groundwater, nor for the final reclamation plan of 95 acres of exposed groundwater. According to previous SWSP requests, the Applicant is in the process of acquiring additional GIC shares for a total of at least 8.5 shares. The proposed 8.5