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Mr. Thomas Schreiner ' - • ~ ~ ~ • <br />Re: River Valley Resource, M-2001-090 ' <br />December 4, 200! <br />Page 2 of 4 <br />The Sandhofer and the Home Ditches take off closer to Lake Catamount and flow along the base <br />of the hillside on the east side of the More property until they join the old Weiskopf Ditch at <br />about the far southeast corner of the proposed mine site. The water. from these ditches then flows <br />across the More property and returns to the river via the same path as the Weiskopf Ditch. There <br />are no water rights associated with these ditches downstream of the More property. <br />Pit dewatering flows will only. be discharged into the Suttle Ditch or the Shear Ditch based upon <br />agreements or waivers with the ditch. company or water rights' holders..Discharges will only <br />occur if water users associated with the ditch are not adversely affected by either the flow rate or <br />timing of the discharge. Discharges may also occur if it becomes necessary to mitigate impacts <br />to ditch flows from mine dewatering operations. Water rights in the Suttle Ditch adjacent to the <br />proposed project site total over 4 cubic feet per second (cfs) and are currently"used to flood <br />irrigate. Water Commissioner Elvis Iacovetto believes that the addition of mine dewatering <br />flows (0.3 to 0.7 cfs) to the ditch would not be expected to adversely affect the ditch or water <br />users during irrigation activities. <br />The Weiskopf Ditch conveys water to irrigate areas within the eastern portion of the proposed <br />project site. The Swale area (Little River) draining from south to north through the site collects <br />irrigation runoff from the ditch and discharges into McKinnis Creek north of the site. There are <br />no known water-rights on the flows draining through the Swale. During mining operations, the <br />Swale area will be relocated around the western side of the project site. The diversion will begin <br />where the Swale currently crosses the southern project boundary and will end where the drainage <br />now crosses the northern project boundary. This location was shown on Exhibit C-1. The <br />diversion ditch will be sized and constructed to safely convey existing flows and potential <br />dewatering flows around the project site while minimizing excessive erosion. Once directed <br />back into the drainage area north of the proposed site, the estimated mine dewatering flows (0.3 <br />to 0.7 cfs) would not be expected to adversely affect drainage withiri the Swale area. Parts of this <br />Swale are considered to be jurisdictional wetlands. The exact location and size of the <br />replacement ditch is part of the 404 application with the Corps of Engineers. When this is <br />~~ <br />.approved, Lafarge will provide the Division with design details of the relocated ditc y I R , <br />The Suttle Ditch will also need -to be partially relocated to accommodate the mining activities. <br />The general locatior for the replacement ditch was previously indicated on Exhibit C-1 along the <br />southwest side of the mine site. This relocation will not occur for several years as this ditch is <br />located in Phases Sand 6. Prior to the relocation of this ditch Lafarge will provide the Division <br />with details of the design and location. <br />6.4.5 EXHIBIT E -Reclamation Plan <br />18. <br />The Suttle Ditch will be relocated due to mining activities (please see response to Comment 17). <br />Water rights in the Suttle Ditch adjacent to the proposed project site total over 4 cubic feet per <br />second (cfs) and are currently used to flood irrigate. The addition of mine dewatering flows (0.3 <br />to 0.7 cfs) to the ditch would not be expected to adversely affect the ditch or water users during <br />irrigation activities. The seed mix proposed for stabilization of the relocated ditch will be the <br />