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Colowyo C-1981-019 28 November 2006 ~~- Pg 2/4 Hydrologic Balance (cont.): the West Pit. The operator estimated that there was up to 14 million gallons of water in the pit. The operator has been pumping the water from the pit directly into Taylor Creek under a CDPS Industrial General Minimal Discharge Permit (MINDI Permit). The system pumps water to the top of the pit, into a 20,000 gallon holding tank (to settle out any settlable solids) then through a packed sand filtration system to remove the remaining solids. The water will not flow into the East Taylor Pond prior to being discharged. The discharge pipe has a diffuser and is routed into the riprapped outfall for the East Taylor Pond below the flume to minimize erosion and environmental impact. The MINDI permit is effective for three months and expires on 12 January 2007 (unless renewed). The operator submitted Minor Revision 85 to the Division to address this discharge. This revision was approved on 2 November 2006. Some headway has been made on the pumping but the system was down at the time of the inspection. Numerous problems have been encountered during the process including not being able to prime the pump after moving it a water freezing in the various parts of the system. The operator continues to work on the problems and is optimistic that all of the water will be pumped out of the pit before 12 January 2007. -The Section 16 Pond, the West Pit Pond, the East Taylor Pond and the Stoker Siding Pond were all inaccessible due to snow at the time of the inspection. The Rail Loop Pond was inaccessible at the time of the inspection due to a train being loaded. - The wash bay pond (not a NPDES discharge point) contained water approximately two feet below the top of the embankment and was not discharging. This is a total containment pond and discharge into the Work Area Pond triggers BTEX testing (in addition to regular NPDES testing). The pond embankment was covered with snow but appeared stable at the time of the inspection. No erosional problems were noted on the pond embankment at the time of the inspection. - The work area pond (NPDES 002A) contained water approximately one foot below the top of the discharge pipe. The pond embankment was covered with snow but appeared to be stable at the time of the inspection. This pond is scheduled to be cleaned this fall (a contractor was currently on site cleaning ponds). No erosional problems were noted on the embankment at the time of the inspection. - The Gossard Pond (NPDES 003A) contained water approximately three feet below the riser pipe and was not discharging at the time of the inspection. The pond embankment was covered with snow but appeared to be stable and there were no erosional problems noted at the time of the inspection. The emergency spillway is a 12" culvert. The Gossard pond was recently cleaned and the sediment and coal fines were dumped in the West Pit. - All of the roadside ditches appeared to be clean and functioning as designed at the time of the inspections. No erosional problems, sediment build-up or blow-outs were noted at the time of the inspection.