Laserfiche WebLink
COLORADO DEPARTMENT OF HEitL,TH, Water Quality Control Division <br />Rationale -Page 3, Permit No. CO-0043648 <br />c) one solid 4-inch pipe, which is intended to carry the historic Arequa Gtt[ch springs that are located <br />in the lower end of the Arequa Gttlcit Waste Rock Area, w/rich is sitttnred just above the VLF. The <br />springs are collected in a system of perforated pipes. Seepage from the Carport Mill tailings, which <br />have been placed as a lower layer in rite Waste Rock Area, ntay also be collected. However, there <br />is a layer of gravel and geotexti[e separating the tailings from the spring collection pipes. Tltis, in <br />combination with the Itigit degree of compaction of the relatively fine tailings, is expected by rite <br />raining company [o minimize any seepage from the tailings. <br />d) Otte perforated 24-inch pipe which collects ground water flowing underneath rite eastern ponion of <br />rite leach facility. <br />It should 6e noted that t{te constructed rock channel also carries groundwater flowing underneath [he <br />leach facility. <br />002A Tltis point is the discharge frarn rite sediment pond that collects runoff from rite mine's crusher area. <br />Flow is trea(ed in the sediment pond, and then released to the diversion canal which surrounds the <br />[each facility and which eventually discharges irt[o Arequa GulcF:. T]te surface area contributing flow to <br />the sediment pond is approximately 10 acres in size. <br />003A This point is the discharge from the sediment pond which collects flow froth the western branch of <br />Squaw Gulch. Flow entering this pond includes runoff front the Ironclad Waste Rock Storage Area that <br />is located at the headwaters of Squaw Gulch. <br />004A This point is the discharge from rite sediment pond which collects flow from the eastern branch of Squaw <br />Gulch. Flow entering this pond includes some runoff from the Ironclad Waste Rock Storage Area ,but <br />is comprised mostly ojflow corrtirtg fro»t rite upper reaches oJSquaw Gulch, which is routed etrtder a <br />mine road that leads to the Ironclad area. Runoff from the mine road also enters this pond. <br />OOSA (Inactive) Tltis point will be used for any dry-weather discharges from the Valley Leach Facility itself. <br />Since no such discharges will be authorized until the detoxification phase ojtl:e project, it will not need <br />to be activated until rite permit is renewed. Until that time, only precipitation related discharges will be <br />authorized, as explained below for point OOSB. <br />0058 This point will be used for any precipitation-caused discharges from the Ya[ley Leach Facility which <br />may occur either as a result of the annual precipitation falling on the VLF exceeding rite annual <br />evaporation, or as a result of a single precipitation event causing the 10.year, 24-hour storm volume to <br />be exceeded. It is highly unlikely that any precipitation related overflow will occur, due to the volume <br />of the VLF. Still, federal effluent regulations provide for some exemptions from certain limitations for <br />such precipitation related discharges. In order to insure all applicable regulations are incorporated <br />into rite permit, this outfall will be included. Also, while no specific overflow outfall has been <br />constructed, it is assumed that any needed discharge could be accommodated relatively quickly through <br />the installation of temporary conduits, and would eventually be directed into Arequa Gulch in vicinity of <br />point OOIA. Therefore, point OOSB is s/town at the saute location as point OOIA and 0018. <br />In addition to the discharge points included in tIris permit, there are several other types of discharges and <br />permits associated with the Cripple Creek and Victor Gold Mining operation. The Cresson Mine is located <br />wirltin the heart of a historic mining district. Several historic drainage tunnels traverse the pit area at depths of <br />1, 000 to 3, 000 feet below the ground surface. Discharges from these tunnels are addressed in a separate permit <br />- CDPS No. CO-0024562. Also, storntwater discharges are controlled through CDPS Permit No. COR-040049. <br />I[ should also be noted that the State Division of Minerals and Geology is responsible for rite protection of <br />groundwater within the minesite area, and in cooperation with the permittee, has developed a groundwater <br />monitoring program that is intended to control any groundwater contamination that might be caused by this <br />project. <br />