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TR9PPER MINING INC. April 9, 1998 Mr. Kent Gorham RECEIVED Environmental Protection Specialist Colorado Division of Minerals & Geology R1 FQ 1 ~ 1998 1313 Sherman Street, Room 215 Denver, CO 80203 Division of Minerals 8 Geology Re: Trapper Mining Inc, Permit No. C-81-010 Discussion of N.O.V. No. CV-98-003 Dear Mr. Gorham: This letter outlines Trapper's discussion concerning the conditions surrounding the above- captioned violazion thaz was issued to us on March 26, 1998. The flood conditions encountered on that day were the result of a very unusual set of conditions thaz wen: beyond Trapper's ability to control. We would ask the Division to consider the following facts when considering whether a violation actually occurred and whether any civil penalty should be assessed: • On the same day thaz flooding was occurring at Trapper Mine, extensive flooding was occurring just a few miles away in and azound the city of Craig. Flooding in Craig included Fortification Creek-which runs through the middle oftown-running out of its banks into the 500-year floodplam and causing the evacuation of numerous homes; storm sewers near the Moffat County courthouse exceeded their drainage capacity and flooded the surrounding area; and several county roads around Craig were washed out and closed because of flood waters. The flooding around Craig was the lead story on the major Denver television stations March 25 and 26. The Denver press went to great pains during their broadcasts to emphasize thaz this flooding was the result of an unusual set of circumstances unique to the Craig area and did not constitute an overall flooding threaz to the state as a whole. The Craig area flooding is documented in the enclosed articles from the Craig Daily Press. Temperatures in the mid-60's that occurred on March 25 and 26 caused an incredibly rapid snowmelt throughout the Craig area. This rapid snowmelt was exacerbated by saturated soil conditions stemming from the earlier initiation of the snowmelt season while soils were still likely frozen az depth. In addition, it is probable thaz soils saturated from the 100-year flood event of last fall had been unable to dry out and recover to typical seasonal moisture levels over the winter. • Another contributing factor to the flooding was a wet snowstorm thaz occurred the previous week (March 17-18) that totaled 0.78 inch of precipitation. The precipitation from this event ran off along with existing snow pack in one large surge with the rapid temperature rise that we experienced on March 25 and 26. P 0 BOx 187 (rain ('nlnrarln R1fi~n r?nay a~~ ~~n~