INSPEC14815

• Permit No: C1980007
• IBM Index Class Name: Inspection
• Doc Name: Inspection Report
• Inspection Date: 8/17/2004
• Media Type: D
• Archive: No

milkvetch and young aspen trees. Fresh straw bales had been installed in areas permitted
for alternate sediment control.
Vegetation was excellent on the degas pad and on the reclaimed road behind it. At the
electric borehole pad, the slopes both above and below the pad were extremely well
vegetated. There was no evidence of erosion or instability. Pond SG-1 contained water the
came from the frac tank situated up the east fork of Sylvester Gulch.
The road up Sylvester Gulch beyond pond SG-1, to the USFS boundary, was in excellent
condition. There was no erosion and vegetation was healthy all along the road.
At the construction lay-down area by shafts'/2, there was no erosion. The topsoil pile was
stable and well vegetated and the clean water ditches around (and through) the disturbed
area were stable. There was an abundance of woody plants growing through and around the
rip rap at the upper end of the disturbed area, including alders, maples and box elders. The
slopes above the disturbed area showed good vegetative growth.
At the mine water pond the vegetation around the pond was excellent and the embankments
were stable. Water was being pumped from the pond to the frac tank up the east fork of
Sylvester Gulch and thence to the degas drill sites. The minewater pumphouse pad was
stable as was the topsoil pile above the pad.
The electrical substation topsoil pile showed no ereosion or instability. The pile was much
greener on the NW slope than on the SE-facing slope. There was some thistle on the
backside (NW side) of the pile. There was a lot of cheatgrass on the front side (SE side.)
There was evidence that water had sat on the surface above the French drains around the
electrical substation SAE. There was no water discharging from the subdrains but some
water was seeping from the formation behind the substation (vicinity of F-seam.)
The "failed fill" area appeared stable. There had been no movement apparent in this area for
years. Overall vegetation was good, but there was a developing weed problem. Midway
along the length of the slope there was an infestation of tamarisk noted. This noxious weed
was intergrown with narrowleaf cottonwood, aspen and willow. Additionally there was an
infestation of Canada thistle near the creek. These weeds need to be treated. The spring
on the north end of the "failed fill" area was running.
The subsoil pile across the road from the "failed fill" area was stable, with no erosion and
good revegetation.
No movement was evident on the surface above the facilities area. Grass growth on the
slopes was very good.
The explosives magazine was secure.
The level of pond P~113-1 was way down -ten feet below the level of the emeregency spillway.
Pond FW-1 was stable. The liners of both these ponds were in good condition, at least the
parts that could be seen.
There was excellent vegetation on the topsoil pile above the run-of-mine (ROM) pad. The
shot-creted ditch at the base of the pile was clean and clear. The clean water ditch around
the top of the soil pile was also clean and clear.