HYDRO25105

• Permit No: M1981243
• IBM Index Class Name: Hydrology
• Doc Date: 12/31/2003
• Doc Name: Potential Impacts of Selenium in Discxharges
• From: CDPHE
• To: DMG
• Media Type: D
• Archive: No

JAN-05-04 15:45 FROM-Colorado Division of Minerals 8 Geolosy [phone]
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T-520 P.006/OOT F-326
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STATE O~ COLORADO
Table 1. Selenium Concentration in DiscLarge Watez
BIII Owens, Governor
Douglas Fl BeneveMO, Fxecutiva Director
Ded"rcxtad m protecting and improving the health and emdronmem of the people of Coloratlo
4300 Many Creek Or- S. Laboratory Se~ices DNision
Denver, Coloradv 90246.1590 8700 Lowry Blvd.
Phone [phone] Denver, Colorado 80230•fi929
TDD Une [phone] (303) 892.90
Located N Glendale, Colorado
ht~JMtwv.cdptrestate,caus DR~t: Dee. 31 2003 ~~
RECEi!!'E®
Grand Junction Pipe and Supply Compaq JAN 2 6 2004
Attention: fidward Setth, ProjectMaaager
P.O. Box 1849 Division of Minerals and C I
`Tb/4
To: pivtG /
Gmnd 7unctton, Colorado 81502 / eo ogy
Re: ~otential Impacts of Selenium m Dischatgcs~fmm Selected Sand and Gravel Operations
ong dte t}unnison and Colorado Rivers.
Dear Mr. Setth:
December 26, 2003
During the Febmary, 2003 meeting of the Selenium Task Force, the US Fish and W>Zdlife Service verbally expressed concern
m the Water Quality Control Division about a selenium concentration of greater than lOD micrograms per liter (ug/1) in a
water sample it.collected from the discharge of.a sand-and-gravel opemtioa to the Gunnison Rive neaz Delt$. This has
ceased the Division tb more closely ex~P the solaces of selenium m the Gumtisoa and Colorado Rivas, especiaIIy is
segments identified as impaired for selenium under Section 303(4) of the Clean Water Act , i.e. the total maximum dat7y load
(TMDL) program. Some of these waters also serve as habitat for threatened and endangered fishes. Ambient selenium
conceaaatians is reaches of these rivers are believed to exceed the applicable water-quality standard of 4.6 ng/I, and the
Division recently proposed to our Commission that 9 additional segateats of the GttOnison and Colorado Rivers be listed as
impaired for seleoiuta. Cutready, the 2002 version of this list has 8 segmems of these rivers listed es izopaixed on the basis of
selenium.
As part of the on-going efforts to develop information for use is permitting decisions involving discharges to these itnpaired
waters, the Division sampled 9, of the 25 permitted, sand-and-gravel discharges to the above segments and analyzed them for
selenitmr wncentmtion For this June, 2003 effort, samples were taken only at discharges with flow at the time of the field
visit The recorded selenitma values ranged from 2.6 to 54 u@/1, with seven discharges exhibiting values above the watet-
quality standazd Table 1 provides the results for discharges from your company's facilities.
COG-500161 SotrthFruitalArcub Pit 6.9 ~vt-rg81`243
COG-500534 So Yit 37
Jn view of the results, the Division is concerned that the cuaent General Permit (COG-(1500000) for disebazges from sand-
aad-gravel operations may mt be adequately protective. Thus, the Division is considering the development of a second
geaexal permit for aggcegau miniag/pracessing facilities to implement control of selenium is discharges iti receiving waters
that are impared for selenitm and/or designated as critical T&E fish habitat. This effon would include desi~atian of stream
segments to be within scope of this new general permit and appropriate permit coaditians to address sources of selenium,
along with associated monitoring.
However, before the issuance of any xiew general permit or the development of any other requirement, the Division will be
soliciting information and ideas from the sand-and-gravel operators/owners in affected areas of the Lower Colorado River
Basic We propose meeting with nc~ affected companies and are asking Ms. Melissa Young (Regulatory Specialist for