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JAN-05-04 15:45 FROM-Colorado Division of Minerals d Gaoloay +13038663567 RECEI00EI~ JAN 16 2004 Division or Minerals and Geolapy T-520 P.004/00T F-325 c•~~ tih ~ ;~ s ~ ~/b y 5TAT~E OF CO~,ORADO Bill Owens, Govomor Douglas K Benevento, Executive Direemr Dedicated to protecting and improving the health and environment of the people of Colorado 4300 Cherry Creek Dr. S. Denver, Coloradc 80246.1530 Phone (a03) 692-2000 7DD Line (a03) 69r-7700 located in Glendale, Colorado hopY/www.odphastate.co.us laboratory Services D'Nislon ei oo Lowry BNd. Denver, Colorado 60230.6926 (303) 692.209D United Campatiles of Mesa Cozmry Attention: Richard Johnson, Resotace Manager P.O. Sox 3609 Grand Junction, Colorado 81502 «-3 r-o3 ,/ Re: ('Potetrtial Impacts of Selenium in Dischu~ges~from Selected Sand and Gravel Operations `prong the Crrmnisoa and Colorado Rivers. // Deaz Mr. Johnson: 1 = D~~ ~ December 26, 2003 Dtaing tIte February, 2003 meeting of dre Seleniraa Task Force, the US Fish and Wildlife Service verbally expressed coacem m the Water Quality Control Division about a selemt~ concentration of greater than 100 micrograms per liter (ug/1) is a water sample S wllected from the discharge of asand-and-gravel operation to the Gu~isoa River near Delta. This has caused the Division m more closely evA++++++e the sampes of selenium m the Grmnisoa and Colorado Rivers, especially um segments ideatffied as impairedfor selenitttn under Section 303(d) of the Clean Water Act, ie, the total t~=+*++++*++ daily load (TbIDL) program. Some of these waters also serve as habitat for threatened and endangered fishes. Ambient selenium concentrations in reaches of these rivers ere believed to exceed the applicable water-quality standard of 4'.6 ng/1, and the Division recently proposed to our Commission that 9 addiflonal segments of the Gutmison'and Colorado Rivers be listed as impaired for selcaitrm. Cturently, the 2002 version of this list has 8 segments of these rivers listed as impaired on the basis of selenium. As part of the on-going efforts to develop iafomtation for use is permitting decisions involving drscharges to these impaired wahus, the Division sampled 9 of the ZS petmirtcd, sand-and-gravel discharges m the above segments and analyzed them for saleoiom coacenaatioa Far this 7ttrte, 2003 effnrr, samples were taken only at drscharges with flow at the time of the field visit The recorded selenium values ranged from 2.6 m 54 ug/1, with seven discharges exhibiting values above the water- quality standard Table 1 provides the results for discharges from your company's facflities. Table 1. Selenium Coace~tation in Discharge Water .~ ° COG500397 bell Pit , 4.3 COG-500400 4D Pit 8-3 C.OG500136 DS&GPit#1 15~ 16` COG-500216 Hagie Pit Railhead Pit 39 54 COG500218 Fnri Gra 2.6 * Duplicate samples collected and considered as as average of 15.5 ct?/1 M2~~' Pty `~ In view of the results, the Division is concerned that the cturent General Perrot (COG-0500000) for discharges from sand- aad-gravel operations may not be.adequately protecrive. Thus, the Division is eonsiderir;g the development of a second geacral permit for aggregate nvniag/ptncessing facilities tD implement control of selenium in discharges to receiving waters that are impaired for selenium and/or desipAated as critical T,4rE Ssh habitat This effort would include desigoatioa of stream segments m be vv)rbia scope of this new general pemvt an3 appropriate permit conditions m address solaces of selenium,