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The flocculent used in washing the sand and gravel is approved by the EPA and presents <br />little danger of polluting surface or ground water. The chemical is essentially like a bipolar soap <br />molecule and is biodegradable. When in the presence of small silt particles the floceulant acts to <br />• create larger agglomerations of silt that settle to the bottom of the sediment basin. Until the <br />molecule degrades it remains in an inactive form and is tied up in the silt. If there is any remaining <br />flocculent that does not combine with sediment in the washing process it too becomes locked up in <br />the sediment basin and eventually degrades. <br />These substances, although potentially toxic when in concentrated form, present little danger <br />in the concentrations used in the settling process. Even if it were to be dumped directly into a <br />stream channel its effect would be rather minor. Some fish are sensitive to it, but with the limited <br />fishery resource present in Fountain Creek there is no danger. The greatest safety feature <br />preventing pollution of Fountain Creek with flocculent from this operation is the distance between <br />the stream and the operation. It is highly unlikely that any water leaving the operation and <br />containing significant amounts of flocculent would ever even make it to the stream. Furthermore, if <br />it did the dilution effect of so much water from other sources would render it almost undetectable. <br />Floceulant in such discharge would also become attached to silt in the water coming from other <br />sources and it is possible that the silt that would normally flow into the stream would settle faster, <br />helping to produce a cleaner flood water. However, flocculent is not recommended for use in cleaning <br />flood waters end in this case the probability any would ever reach the stream is extremely low. <br />The danger of ground water pollution is even less than surface water. It is very unlikely that <br />any or a significant amount of it would even enter the ground water as the high quantities of silt in <br />the pond locks the molecules into the pond. <br />• PROJECT WATER REQUIREMENTS: <br />Irrigation - At this time the only irrigation that could be used would be the irrigation of the <br />screening trees to be planted in Phase lE (north) and Phase 3E. This irrigation would only serve to <br />establish the trees and not to maintain them. Although the enact number of trees to be planted is <br />unknown, as is the amount and frequency of watering, some estimates can be provided. If 300 trees <br />are planted and they are watered with an average of four gallons per tree per week for eight weeks <br />in each of the first two years the total amount of water would be about 24,000 gallons. This is about <br />the same amount of water used for dust control in three days. Therefore, irrigation needs are <br />insignificant when compared to the needs of the operation. <br />Wash water needs - The wash water needs vary considerably on a daily basis, being mostly <br />controlled by the demands of the market. The clarifier usually operates with a capacity of 2800 <br />gallons per minute, but this is not a constant and not all of that volume needs to be supplied 88 fresh <br />water. Abetter measure of the water needs for washing is the capaaty of the well that supplies the <br />water needs. This well produces about 950 cubic feet per minute and during times of washing it <br />usually runs at nearly full capacity. This water supply, however, is make up water, that is, the well <br />supply of fresh water simply makes up the water that is lost in product and in evaporation. <br />• <br />Water Page G-3 <br />