INSPEC43024

• Permit No: C1982057
• IBM Index Class Name: Inspection
• Doc Name: Inspection Report
• Inspection Date: 3/19/2003
• Media Type: D
• Archive: No

III. COMMENTS -COMPLIANCE
Below are comments on the inspection. The comments include discussion of observations made
during thffe innspection. Comments also describe any enfottrcement actions taken during the inspection
and~o~SV~~d~ritovfa~~~oJPe~u~~rPimerr~ation po~rc~s ~ori~sc08~', 006, and 016 were observed to
be discharging, and in each case the discharge water appeared to be relatively clear. Inflow
to each of these ponds was estimated to be several hundred gallons per minute, due to
snowmelt. Discharge samples were taken from Pond 005 for suspended solids and
settleable solids analysis. Due to the snowmelt inflow, settleable solids would be the
applicable CDPS permit criteria.
Pond 017 could not be accessed due to snow cover and muddy conditions in the 017
drainage basin (presently undisturbed except for the sediment pond and associated
facilities). The road to Pond 009 was still drifted in, but the pond was accessed by walking
the '/z mile up the road from the oil well pad to the pond. Water level in Pond 9 was still
approximately 5 feet below the top of the spillway riser. A similar attempt was made to
walk up the snowed in road to Pond 015, but the effort was aborted due to the depth of
snow and distance to the pond. The pond will be inspected during the next complete
inspection.
The sediment control system in the Pond 006 drainage basin (A&B Pitsl will be modified
somewhat in association with final grading of the A Pit area, that is currently in progress.
Currently, there is apre-settling basin at the lower end of the pit disturbance area above
Pond 6. The pre-settling basin will be filled in, in association with reclamation grading.
Prior to filling in the pre-settling basin, the Pond 006 primary spillway riser height is to be
increased in accordance with the approved Phase V design, to provide additional storage
capacity. At the time of inspection, the pre-settling basin was full of runoff water, and was
spilling over into the Pond 006 collection ditch.
New Pond 016A is to be constructed just up-gradient from existing Pond 016, to provide
additional storage capacity for the disturbance proposed within PR-3, currently under
review. The new pond will be constructed upon final approval of PR-3, prior to expansion
of upland disturbance as proposed in the permit revision.
Backfilling and Grading
A dozer was actively grading spoil within the A Pit reclamation area, which is to be
completed this field season.
Initial spoil grading had been completed within the D Pit reclamation area in the summer/fall
of 2002. Final grading including permanent stream channel construction and stabilization
and road reclamation/reduction, as well as topsoiling and revegetation is to be completed in
2003. Extensive soil roughening will be important on the long steep slopes in the D Pit
area, to minimize erosion and sedimentation and facilitate vegetation establishment.
Additional spoil grading work to provide areas of larger scale roughened topography to break
up the long smooth slopes is also recommended, and could be conducted in association
with the final drainage installation work.
Bob Shevling indicated that a permit revision may be forthcoming to propose a variance
from contemporaneous reclamation for Wadge Pit areas within the South Mining Area, to
allow for future coal extraction using highwall mining equipment.