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<br />(Page ?) <br />~~tINE ID H OR PROSPECTING ID N: M-7977-559 <br /> <br />INSPECTION DATE: April 18, 2007 INSPECTOR'S INITIALS: AIW <br />OBSERVATIONS <br />This was a normal monitoring inspection conducted by Tony Waldron or DMG. The site is located just north of the Arkansas <br />River and on both sides or Mackenzie Avenue in Canon Ciry ,Colorado. The pit is situated on the Arkansas River alluvial <br />terrace. <br />This location serves as both a sand and gravel mine and a concrete batch plant for the Valco Canon City Concrete Division. <br />The mine consists of tvvo parcels separated by Mackenzie Avenue which dissects the site in a north-south manner leaving a pit <br />on the east and west sides of the road. The east pit has been completely mined out and is essentially reclaimed except for the <br />area that is used in conjunction with the batch plant in the southwest corner of parcel. This is basically an area to park <br />equipment, the batch plant, and a stockpile storage area for the aggregate used in botching the concrete. The remainder of the <br />site is a small lake approximately 21 acres in size and the sloped area leading down to the lake from the permit boundary. <br />Along the south side there is a flood control structure in between the river and the permit area. This structure opens up along <br />the southeast corner of the permit area [o allow water to discharge back into the river via a concrete flume and drainage ditch. <br />The majority of the regraded shoreline around the lake has been revegetated with desirable grasses and fortis. There are a few <br />places where revegetation efforts were not successful and this is being cited as a problem on page three of this report along <br />with corrective actions. Since these areas do not have a desirable vegetative cover, they are in most cases infested with annual <br />and perennial weeds, some of which are considered noxious. In addition, there are other areas around the mine site where <br />noxious weeds are prevalent. As a result, this is also being cited as a problem along with appropriate corrective actions. As <br />stated, the majority of the east area has been nicely revegetated and much of it would presently qualify for reclamation liability <br />release, especially if the noxious weeds are controlled. <br />On the west side, little to no full scale reclamation has occurred. There may be some areas where sloping has occurred, but <br />nothing appears to have been seeded. Mining is still occurring along the north end of the pit but the site appears to be nearing <br />the end of its productive life. Topsoil is being salvaged and stockpiled along the west and south sides of the pit. There is a <br />significant weed problem along some perimeter areas of this pit, particularly along the topsoil stockpile on the south side. <br />Whitetop (Cardaria drabs) is present in such densities so as to 6e considered an intestation in this area. It appears that the <br />topsoil stockpile was never seeded on this side and as a result, weeds have become firmly established. As previously <br />mentioned, this is being cited as a problem on page three on this report along with corrective actions. Please be advised that <br />topsoil stockpiles are required to be seeded with a temporary seed mix if they are not replaced within one year of salvage. As <br />stated, it is not clear whether or not the stockpiles on this site have been seeded or not. <br />Finally, in reviewing the permit application, it is unclear whether or not Valco ever obtained a well permit for evaporative loss <br />during mining operations and whether or not a substitute supply plan was ever obtained for this site. As a result, this is also <br />being cited as a problem. The corrective actions will be to provide adequate documentation demonstrating compliance with <br />the State Engineer's Office. If this can not be provided, the Division will recalculate the reclamation liability to account to for <br />backfilling the volume of pit that has been mined since 1981. This concluded the inspection. <br />I & E Contact Address <br />NAME: Randv C. Svmons <br />cc: }im Stevens-DMG <br />OPERATOR: Valco Canon City Concrete Division ^ CE <br />^ BL <br />^ FS <br />STREET: P.O. Box 669 ^ HW <br />^ HMWMD (CH) <br />CITY/STATE2IP: Canon City Colorado 87 215 XX SE <br />^ WQCD (CH) <br />^ OTHER <br />C~G'1~-~~ed `~ ~ ~o~o I~"lo oGCYa ~b5S- ~23z <br />