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` ~ ~ NOL fiRCHITECTg 3033254417 P.02 <br />:. <br />Concerned Citizens of Ouray County <br />20 1'srkway <br />Ridgway, Colorado 81432 <br />December 26, 1991 <br />Mined Land Reclamation Board <br />1313 Sherman Street, Suite 215 <br />Denver, Colorado 80203 <br />Subject: Application by ZMK Gravel for a Limited Impact Operation <br />(110(2)) Reclamation Permit <br />We have reviewed this application and believe several important <br />matters need further attention. <br />(1) Offsite Imoaets._ The applicants plan to alter the <br />course of the Uncompahgre River to flow into the first <br />segment of the excavation so that the second segment <br />can be mined. This will require a major change in <br />direction of the river channel. No information is <br />provided about the way this will be handled. The <br />course of the river is known to be very unstable, but <br />its flow will go in a straight line unless sufficiently <br />impeded. <br />The adjacent property to the south & west could be at <br />risk if this maneuver does not work successfully. <br />That property has permanent structures less than 200 <br />feet from the permit boundary. (Exhibit E, Webb) <br />We question whether tho 300-foot buffer zone at the <br />south end oP the permit area will be sufficient to <br />protect the Imhoff-Willard property from head-cutting. <br />The applicants tested for the water table on 11/27/91 <br />and concluded that their proposed 10-foot excavation <br />depth would not interfere with domestic wells on <br />properties contiguous to the permit area. <br />A more conclusive test should be made in the spring <br />when the river level is much higher. <br />No mention is made about steps to be taken to prevent <br />excessive downstream siltation Prom their operation. <br />(2) Hydrologic ImoactE_ Altering the course of the river <br />through the western pit may lead to unanticipated <br />effects. For exampl©, the river may decide to enter <br />the pit at a midway point rather than at the south end, <br />thus providing a relatively stagnant lagoon. This <br />might occur during a high-flow period before the pit <br />was fully excavated and the rip-rap in place, causing <br />erosion of an unprotected bank. Such possibilities <br />have not been addl•essed. <br />