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<br />Arness-McGriffin Mine <br />Bond forfeiture <br />Special focus evaluation <br />3/2/00 <br />Mitchell S. Rollings, 370, OSM <br />Henry Austin, OSM <br />Howard Strand, OSM <br />Dave Berry, DMG <br />This mine site was selected for evaluation as part of a special focus review for off-site impacts <br />associated with bond forfeiture sites. OSM and DMG will evaluate all bond forfeiture sites in <br />Colorado; there are 14 of these sites. <br />Impacts that are located outside of the area directly disturbed by the mining operation or off of <br />the azea authorized by DMG to be disturbed when the operation was active would be considered <br />an off-site impact. OSM Directive REG-8 was used as guidance to determine the kind of <br />resource, and the type and degree of impact for off-site impacts. People, structures, land, and <br />water resources were observed during this evaluation to determine whether or not an off-site <br />impact has occurred. <br />The observations made during these evaluations will be reported in OSM's Annual Evaluation <br />Summary Report for Colorado for the evaluation period. This information will be carried <br />forward to future evaluation periods in order to track the number of off-site impacts associated <br />with Colorado bond forfeitures. The record will be adjusted if additional off-site impacts occur, <br />or as DMG continues to reclaim the forfeited properties using bond money, severance [ax, etc. <br />Site Conditions <br />This was a small underground site that has been backfilled, graded, and seeded. Approximately <br />2-3 acres were disturbed. Revegetation has not been successful because it has been widely used <br />by the public for four-wheeling, dumping trash and as a shooting range. A public two-track road <br />to a State wildlife area crosses the site. The outslopes are also fairly devoid of vegetation. <br />There are two gullies that have created an off-site effect. Sediment from the gullies has created <br />small deposition fans at the bottom of the outslopes. We decided that there was a minor off-site <br />impact to land resources because of the fans. The impact is minor because the fans are located <br />on another downslope bond forfeiture site and they are rather small without noticeable effects. <br />Most of the water from this site will drain to the sedimentation pond for the other forfeited site. <br />While we did not see water leaving the site, we did not believe a water resources impact exists. <br />DMG has decided not to spend additional money on this site because of the impact from public <br />use. <br />