2024-06-12_PERMIT FILE - M2024031 (2)

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�&qm, Northern Water Northern Colorado Water Conservancy District 220 Water Avenue•Berthoud,Colorado 80513 800-369-7246•www.northernwater.org June 12, 2024 Division of Reclamation, Mining, and Safety Department of Natural Resources State of Colorado To whom it may concern, Subject: Request for Determination on the "Is it Mining" Questionnaire for a Clay Borrow Area in Grand County, Colorado Following a meeting on May 2, 2024, between Northern Colorado Water Conservancy District (Northern Water) and the Division regarding a potential clay extraction operation in Grand County, we are submitting a "Is it Mining" questionnaire to the Division for a determination on if a mining and/or reclamation permit is required for our activity. Northern Water is responsible for the operation and maintenance of complex water infrastructure projects in Grand County, which include series of reservoirs and canals. Regular maintenance of this infrastructure requires earthen materials, mainly as low permeability liners in various water infrastructure components. Northern Water owns several parcels of land adjacent to the infrastructure and intends to source the necessary clay material from these parcels, see below for a map identifying parcels. Limited hauling from borrow areas to project sites may be required. Our plan is to extract a maximum of approximately 1,500 cubic yards of clay per year on an as- needed basis, with an average of 500 to 700 cubic yards per year. Excavation will be conducted using medium tier earthmoving equipment, such as CAT 340 excavators, potentially supported by a mid-size loader(950) or bulldozer (—D6) depending on the deposit.The depth of extraction will vary depending on the nature of the deposit, and all excavations will be conducted above the water table. The excavated material will be loaded into haul trucks and transported to project sites for use. No chemicals, processing equipment, or explosives will be necessary for this operation. Northern Water will not receive any compensation for the material generated. We do not anticipate the need for any additional permits. All sensitive habitats and resources will be avoided; however, if the need for additional permitting arises, they will be obtained. We are committed to conducting these activities responsibly and with minimal environmental impact. Reclamation will be implemented for areas where clay is extracted to ensure environmental sustainability, and we will not open more than 1 acre of land at a time.