HYDRO21266

• Permit No: C1980005
• IBM Index Class Name: Hydrology
• Doc Date: 12/19/1997
• Doc Name: REPORTED UPSET CONDITION OUTFALL 006 CDPS PN CO-0000221 ROUTT COUNTY
• From: CDOH
• To: SENECA COAL CO
• Permit Index Doc Type: NPDES
• Media Type: D
• Archive: No

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STATE OF COLORADO
Roy Romer, Governor
Patti Shwayder, Executive Director
Dedicated b protecting and improving the health and environment olthe people olCobrado
4300 Cherry Creek Dr. 5. Laboratory and Radiation Services Division
Denver, Colorado 80246.1530 8100 Lowry BHd.
Phone [phone] Denver CO 80220.6928
Located in Glendale, Colorado D03) 692-3090
http://www.cdphestate.m.us
RECEI~/ED
December 10, 1997
Dennis Jones, Hydrologist 1
QFC 19 1997
Seneca Coal Company Division of „ainora~r• ~~ Ut,~,~,t>
P.O. Drawer D
Hayden, Colorado 81639
RE: Reported Upset Condition, Outfall 006
CDPS Permit No. CO-0000221, Routt County
Dear Mr. Jones,
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lyobtado Department
of public Health
and Fnvirotunrnt
This letter is in response to your letters dated September 26, October 31 and November 14, 1997,
in which you reported noncompliance of effluent limits due to an upset condition at Outfall 006.
Your letters suggest that, due to a rain event that occurred from September 18 - 23, 1997, Pond
006 filled with sediment and caused an upset condition. Your letter of November 14, 1997,
confirmed that the work to restore the pond volume, resulted in two discharges where effluent limits
for Total Suspended Solids and Total Iron were exceeded. Subsequent submittals, in a letter from
Division of Minerals and Geology (DMG) dated October 28, 1997, the third quarter Discharge
Monitoring Report, and your letter dated November 14, 1997, confirm that the effluent limits were
exceeded as shown below:
Date Sampled Parameter DMG Results
(Primary Spillway)
9/26/97 TSS 36,000 mg/I
9/26!97 SS 240 mg/I
9/26/97 Iron, Total 400 mg/I
Date Sampled Parameter Seneca Results Permit Conditions
3097 DMR TSS (mg/I) 3250 (30 day avg) 35 (30 day avg)
3097 DMR TSS (mg/I) 5500 (daily mx) 70 (daily mx)
3097 DMR Iron, Total (mg/I) 25.99(30 day avg) 3.0 (30 day avg)
3097 DMR Iron, Total (mg/I) 102 (daily Mx) 6.0 (daily mx)
10/30/97 TSS (mg/I) 379,000
10/30/97 Iron, Total (mg/I) 6,640
Section II,A.2.d. of your permit defines an upset as "an exceptional incident in which there is
unintentional and a temporary noncompliance with permit effluent limitations because of factors
beyond the reasonable control of the pennittee. An upset does not include noncompliance to the
extent caused by operational en-or, improperly designed treatment facilities, inadequate treatment
facilities, lack of preventative maintenance, or careless or improper operation."