INSPEC23827

• Permit No: C1982057
• IBM Index Class Name: Inspection
• Doc Name: Inspection Report
• Inspection Date: 7/30/2003
• Media Type: D
• Archive: No

III. COMMENTS -COMPLIANCE
Below are comments on the inspection. The comments include discussion of observations made
during the inspection. Comments also describe any enforcement actions taken during the inspection
and the facts or evidence supporting the enforcement action.
Hydrologic Balance
Sediment Ponds 005, 006, 016, 016A, and 017 were inspected
Pond 005 was not discharging; water level was approximately 2 feet below the top of the
primary riser.
Pond 006 was full, with a trickle of clear discharge. The primary riser extension had been
delivered to the pond location and work had begun to prepare for installation of the
extension prior to the end of the inspection (trash rack had been removed). The riser
extension is required to be installed before the "B" Pit pre-settling basin is backfilled
(scheduled for this summer/falq. An updated construction certification will need to be
completed for the final phase Pond 006 design, upon completion of the riser extension
installation.
The pre-settling basin contained a deep pool of clear water at the time of the inspection,
with a trickle of discharge out of the spillway.
The Pond 016A embankment had recently been completed. The pond appeared to be
somewhat over-sized, as the eastern in-slope area had been graded to a 3:1 rather than the
design 2:1 slope. The pond was dry. The emergency spillway and Pond 016 inflow
channel had been excavated, but riprap had not yet been installed. The spillway riprap
needs to be installed promptly, and P.E. construction certification should be submitted
within 2 weeks of completion. Spillway construction needs to be completed before topsoil
stripping operations are initiated in the Pond 016/016A drainage basin.
Five water monitoring wells located a short distance down-gradient from the toe of the
016A embankment had been damaged by apparent ground movement a couple weeks
previously. Several parallel settling cracks were evident in the vicinity of the wells, a few
feet down-gradient from the toe of the embankment. This situation had been reported to
DMG by the operator. There were no cracks or other indications of instability on the
constructed embankment. The wells were apparently pinched off and ruptured at a
significant depth below the surface. The operator had excavated a trench approximately t5
to 20 feet deep in attempt to reach the problem area and seal the wells, but the trenching
did not reach the area of damage. Artesian seepage of approximately 20 gpm was
surfacing in trench (and had been expressed at the ground surface prior to trenching) due to
the damaged wells. The trench needs to be filled in promptly with rock to safely drain the
seep area away from the 016A embankment. Upon completion of the drain installation, the
operator will evaluate alternative approaches for sealing the damaged wells, and the
Division will be apprised of the plan prior to implementation.
The P.E. construction certification for Pond 016A will need to specifically address the
stability of the constructed embankment, with reference to potential impacts of the
apparent ground movement and seepage described.