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MINE ID M-1995-017 INSPECTION DATE: 11/21/201 INSPECTOR'S INITIALS: cmr This inspection was conducted as part of the normal monitoring and enforcement inspection process that the Division Reclamation Mining & Safety (Division) carries out on all permitted mines in Colorado at least once every four years. Chris Rowe from the Division carried out the inspection; there was not a Operator representative present. The mine is located just east of the City of Sterling, near the South Platte. There did not appear to be an entrance sign as required by Rule 3.1.12 (1). This is problem that the Operator will have to address (see Problem # 1 on next section of this report). There were no apparent mine permit boundary markers installed (Rule 3.1.12(2)). This is problem that the Operator will have to address (see Problem # 1 on next section of this report). As a consequence it was not possible to tell if the mining related disturbance was within the permit boundaries. Once the Operator has marked the boundaries the Division will carry out a follow up inspection to determine if the mine related activities are within those boundaries. There were two groundwater ponds present that were thought to be within the permit boundary (Rule 3.1.6 (1)). One pond is approximately 230 feet long by 25 feet wide; the second is approximately 250 long by 40 feet wide. The two ponds cover approximately 0.4 acres. Both ponds appear to have been as a result of sand and gravel extraction activities. The permit does not allow for groundwater ponds on this mine site. Because it is not known if both of these ponds are in the permit area and are part of the mine operations, the Division will carry out afollow-up inspection. The corrective action will involve either backfilling the exposed groundwater or submitting a permit revision to the Division that covers the mine and reclamation plans for the groundwater ponds. The Operator will also need to provide a copy of a State Engineers Office substitute water supply plan for the exposed groundwater ponds. The Division will need to recalculate the financial warranty for the site to ensure there are sufficient funds to cover the cost of backfilling the ponds. The last Division inspection noted a %. acre groundwater pond (8/14/2000) and listed this pond as a problem that required operator attention. There were not follow up records in the file that suggest the problem was addressed. This item will be addressed by resolution of the item in the above paragraph and cite and problem #2 on the next section of this report. The mine is located near a river levee of the South Platte. It is not known who owns the levee or if it is an active flood control structure. The Operator should determine the status of this levee and provide that information to the Division. If mining were to come within 200 feet of this structure, the Operator would need to follow the requirements of Rule 6.3.12, see the attached rule. The mine site does not appear to be very active. There area willows and cattails growing up around the ponds, and small trees are growing throughout the site. There are no processing facilities on site and only a small amount of stockpiled material. Responses to this inspection report should be directed to Chris Rowe at the Division of Mining, Reclamation and Safety 1313 Sherman Street, Room 215, Denver, Colorado 80203, phone number 303-866-4922. Inspection Contact Address NAME: Lee Roy and Marlene J Rothe OPERATOR: Lee Roy Rothe STREET: 19727 Factory St CITY/STATE/ZIP: Sterling, Colorado 80751 cc: U.S. Army Corps of Engineers CO Hazardous Materials and Waste Division U.S. Bureau of Land Management X CO State Engineers Office U.S. Forest Service CO Water Quality Control Division CO Department of Transportation Other: