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_• ~ [~ c~ ROUNDTREE ENGINEERING. INC. 1480 EAST 2ND AVE. SUITE 6 DURANGO, COLORADO 81301 TELEPHONE 303 259.1971 May 7, 1982 ~II ~I~~I~~I~~~~~ ~I~ Mined Land Reclamation Division MAY 1 7 1982 423 Centennial Building 1313 Sherman Street MINED LAND RECLAPAATIDN Denver, Colorado 80203 Colo. Dept. of Natural Resources Attn: P1r. Peter Evans Re: Permit Application - Continuance File #82-11, Hillyer Pit Mr. Evans: We received your letter dated April 21, 1982 requesting additional information. We sent a letter to you dated April 14, 1982 which we thought covered the ques- tions presented by the Board. You and I discussed the questions over the phone and had agreed on what was required. Apparently, the letter was not adequate. We will again try herein to answer those questions, but with more detail. This particular pit has a situation which the Board should be aware of when it makes its considerations. The pit is in the annual flood way. Because of this, two factors occur each year during spring runoff. The first is that any vegeta- tion such as grass is stripped away during each runoff. The second is that any depressions created in the area are filled with gravel that migrates downstream during the runoff. Historically, there has been a spring runoff each year, with some years being greater than others. This condition in the area allows the establishment of a pit which affects the environment the least of any type of pit. This pit will not destroy existing grasslands because of the situation described above. The only vegetation that can be destroyed is willows, which will be replaced when the pit is abandoned. No shelter and ground cover for wildlife will be destroyed except the willows, which will be replaced. To get grass started would require covering the area with topsoil. As there is negligible topsoil over the area, it would be neces- sary to import topsoil to start grass. If this was done, the following spring when the runoff came down the topsoil would be covered by the new deposit of gravel. Therefore, we would suggest that willows should be placed along the out- er limits of the pit with the idea that after the excavated area has been refilled by the runoff, the willows would spread into the pit area, Once willows get es- tablished, the spring runoff will not destroy them. The final grading of the pit will be the same as is used during operation. The side slopes adjacent to the road will be on a two to one. The north end, or up- stream end, will be on a one and one-half to one slope. After spring runoff each year the pit area will be filled approximately to its original level and no side slope will exist. For this reason, the final grade of the pit will be appropriate for land use, will be compatible with surrounding terrain, will not require any erosion control measures, and will not cause any damage to adjacent lands by land- slides or otherwise. page 1 of 2