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III. COMMENTS -COMPLIANCE <br />Below are comments on the inspection. The comments include discussion of observations made <br />during the inspection. Comments also describe any enforcement actions taken during the inspection <br />and the facts or evidence supporting the enforcement action. <br />This was an aerial inspection of the Seneca II-W Mine. The site was flown by Harry Ranney of DMG on 7/14/06, <br />and 22 oblique and near vertical digital images were taken. The images were viewed on 7-25-06, by Dan <br />Mathews of the DMG Grand Junction Field Office. <br />Imagery covered most portions of the mine site, including active reclamation areas in the Wolf Creek final pit and <br />adjacent areas in the 016 watershed, graded and topsoiled areas in the 017 watershed, and recently seeded and <br />older reclamation areas of the "A", "B", "C", and "D" pit areas. <br />General Mine Plan Compliance <br />Use of the dragline for backfilling of the final Wolf Creek pit had been completed, and the dragline has been <br />parked in the vicinity of the intersection of Haul Roads "A", "J", "H", and the Ridgeline Access Road. Backfilling <br />and rough grading appears to have been completed in the Wolf Creek Block, lower (north) end of the South Leg <br />Wadge Pits (016 watershed), complete or near complete at the south end of the North Leg Wadge Pits and near <br />completion at the north end of the North Leg Wadge Pits, in the 016 watershed. Final drainage channel <br />construction will need to be completed in various South Area reclamation blocks. This work, along with <br />topsoiling and seeding of the graded areas is scheduled to be completed during 2006. <br />Roads <br />Reclamation grading appears to have recently been completed along the section of Haul Road "I" that crossed <br />over the North Leg Wadge Pit in the South Area. Rough grading of the pit highwall and "I" Road segment <br />adjacent to the highwall was in progress; this appears to be the final remaining pit area where rough grading has <br />not yet been completed. <br />A problem appeared to exist at the inlet to Culvert J-2, which conveys disturbed area drainage from the North <br />Leg Wadge Pit reclamation area beneath Haul Road "J", into Sediment Pond 016A. The culvert inlet was not <br />visible in photos and water was ponded in the culvert inlet vicinity. Roy Karo of SCC was contacted, and <br />indicated that the inlet had been at least partially clogged. He stated that a rental track-hoe was on site today <br />(7/25106) and that the old culvert would be pulled, a new 60" culvert would be installed, and culvert area drainage <br />reestablished by the end of the week. The Division will follow-up with an on-site inspection to confirm that <br />the work is promptly and properly completed. <br />Hvdrolooic Balance <br />Sediment Ponds 006, 016, 016A, and 009 were covered by the digital photos. The ponds all contained <br />significant pools of water. Pond 016A level appeared to be several feet below the level of the spillway riser, and <br />was not discharging. It could not be determined with certainty whether any of fhe other ponds were discharging. <br />Stock ponds T-5 and T-18 both contained significant pools of water; extent of water in T-20 could not be <br />determined with certainty. <br />The lower end of drainage channel PM-1, in the South Mine 017 watershed has not yet been constructed. The <br />lower segment would extend across a short segment of previously undisturbed slope to tie into the native <br />drainage channel up-gradient from Sediment Pond 017. Design for the segment was only recently approved, in <br />PR-5. Installation of the segment will improve the functionality of the 017 drainage system, and it is important <br />that it be initiated and completed promptly. Upper segments of the PM-1 channel have been riprapped, but it <br />appeared that recent runoff down the channel may have resulted in some scour that will require maintenance <br />and repair. <br />3 <br />