HYDRO24063

• Permit No: C1982057
• IBM Index Class Name: Hydrology
• Doc Date: 12/19/1997
• Doc Name: REPORTED UPSET CONDITION OUTFALL 006 CDPS PN CO-0000221 ROUTT CNTY
• From: COLO DEPT OF PUBLIC HEALTH & ENVIRONMENT
• 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 to protecting and improving the health and environment of the peoph of Coorado
41300 Cherry Crack Dr. 5.
Denver, Colorado 80246-1530
Phone [phone]
Located in Glendale, Colorado
http://www.cdphestate.m. us
December 10, 1997
Labrotory and Radiation Services Division
8700 Lowry Blvd.
Denier CO 80220-6928
003) 692-3090

Dennis Jones, Hydrologist I
Seneca Coal Company p,v;g;On ci :.:,no~a~:. ~. "~~=:~,;:.
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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Colorado Deparunent
of Public Health
and Fnvitotunent
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)
3497 DMR TSS (mg/I) 5500 (daily nix) 70 (daily nix)
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 nix)
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 pertnittee. 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."