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WESTERN <br />__ FUELS-UTAH <br />Loc. <br />A Subsidiary <br />of <br />Wealern Fuela <br />Aasoeianon, Inc. <br />March 16, 1995 <br />Ms. Kathleen Kalamen, <br />Industrial Enforcement Engineer <br />Colorado Department of Health <br />Permits and Enforcement Section <br />Water Quality Control Division <br />43(10 Cherry Creek Drive South <br />Denver, Colorado 80222-1530 <br />RE: Total Settleable Solids Exceeded at Refuse Area Sedimentation Ponds <br />RP- 2/3 (Olr[fall # 003) and RP-0 (Oulfall #025). <br />Weslem Fuels- Utah Inc., Deserado Mine., <br />NPDES Permit No. CO-0038024. <br />Dear Ms. Kalameq <br />Cht March 1, Tim Chervick, W.F.U. Environmental Coordinator, was conducting a weekly check of all sediment <br />ponds at the Deserado Mine site refuse area. Refuse Area - 5 sediment pond contained snowmelt runoff water and was <br />approximately one third full. Refuse Area 2/3 sediment pond (#003) and Refuse Area -4 sediment pond(# 025) <br />contained a large amount of snowmelt water . Both ponds were discharging water through the decanting hole located 2 <br />feet below the top of the pr®ary discharge spillway culvert The decanting holes were installed during initial sediment <br />pond construction to decant the sediment ponds back to the !0-year [weary-four hom event. Refuse Pood 2/3 was <br />discharging 43 g.p.m effluent and refuse pond 4 was discharging at 26 g.p.m. BoW pond eftlueots appeared to show <br />heavy wlloidal concentrations resulting from snowmelt runoff from the refuse areas. Refuse Sediment Pond -4 access <br />road was impassible due to muddy conditions. <br />Water quality samples were taken at each pond effluent for Total Settleable Solids using the Imhoff cone method. <br />A one liter sample was allowed to settle overnight to determine effluent compliance. <br />On March 2nd at 07:15 a.m. samples were observed for Total Settleable Solids (see attached W.F.U. Lab Bench <br />ShceQ. The Imhoff cone showed RP-2/3 efflnenl to contain 80 milliters per Tiler of settleable solids, and RP-4 eftlueot <br />contained 56 milliters per G[er. Western Fuels NPDES discharge limit for settleable solids is 0.5 milliters per liter . <br />Mr. Tim Chervick immediatedly inspected the sediment ponds to assess whether the water quality had improved. The <br />water quality in the a®uent showed no significant improvement in colloidal solids content. Mr. Chervick rhea called the <br />Slate of Colorado, Water Quality Control Division and left a phone message for Ms. KaWleea Kalamen explaining the <br />water quality violation . Mr. Chervick then called Mr. Jim Chubrillo, CDOH Water Quality Control Division office in <br />Steamboat Springs. Mr. Chubrillo was also unavailable at that time so a taped recording message was left far him at <br />approximately 08:20 am. <br />Mr. Chervick then called the Colorado Division of Minerals and Geology, Office of Mined Land Reclamation ,and <br />spoke to Ms. Barbara Pavlilt, Lead Specialist for the Deserado Mine. Ms. Pavlilc and her supervisor Mr. Larry Routten <br />discussed the water quality problem with Mr. Chervick. Mr. Chervick was given permission to plug off the decant holes <br />0o both ponds. Mr. Chervick explained that some of the water was being pumped out of the ponds into a water Wck <br />and being used as dust suppression on our roads. Mr. Chervick stated that we could pump down Reface Pond 4 water <br />and drain this water into Refuse pond 2/3 so that trucks and pumping equipment could have easier aa:ess using the main <br />Desetado Mine <br />P.O.Box 1067 <br />Rmgely, CO 81648 <br />Tekphme 303/675/8431 <br />Fax 303/675-5229 <br />