Laserfiche WebLink
III IIIIIIIIIIIII III <br />999 <br />STATE OF COLORADO <br />DIVISION OF MINERALS AND GEOLOGY <br />DeparlmeN of Natural Resources <br />1313 Sherman $l., Room 215 <br />Denver, Colorado 80203 <br />Phone: (3031 866-3567 <br />FAX: (J03) N32-8106 <br />September 22, 1995 <br />To: Assessment O~ffi~cer <br />From Janet Binn~ \\/ <br />Re: Raton Creek Mine (C-82-O55), NOV-C-95-022(C-82-055), NOV-C-95-022 <br />I~~~~ <br />DEPARTMENT OF <br />NATURAL <br />RESOURCES <br />Roy Romer <br />Governor <br />lames g. Lochhe, d <br />Eeecwive Direcmr <br />Mic hacl B. long <br />Division Dueclor <br />The operator has submitted additional information regarding the situation which resulted <br />in the Division's issuance of NOV-C-95-022. NOV-C-95-022 was written of September 1, <br />1995 as a result of an inspection conducted by Janet Binns on August 30, 1995. <br />The Raton Creek mine has been partially reclaimed and has received Phase I release for <br />backfilling and grading. A portion of the site has received topsoil application. Topsoil is <br />deficit at this site so portions of the mine may not receive topsoil pending the operator's <br />ability to successfully establish vegetation. There is a permanent Coal Waste pile on the <br />site. There is one sediment pond on the site. <br />During my inspection on August 30, 1995 I observed that a large storm event had occurred <br />sometime prior to my inspection. There are no mine personnel present on the site and no <br />rain gauges or weather recording instruments. <br />The violation was written for failure to maintain sediment control structures to design <br />specifications. The topsoil SAE silt fence and the Refuse Sediment Collection Ditch No.l <br />were specified in the violation. <br />There were numerous rills approx. 5-8" deep throughout the face of the waste pile. An SAE <br />located at the former topsoil stockpile area is designed to contain sediment by utilization <br />of silt fence. At the time of the inspection a portion of the silt fence had been channelled <br />under, while another portion was full of sediment to 1.5 feet and there was evidence that <br />water and sediment had overtopped the structure. This SAE is designed to control a 10 <br />year-24 hour event of 3.2 inches fora 1.4 acre area. The design height of the fence is 1.5 <br />feet high. Down cutting of the downstream ditch occurred 1 foot below the designed ditch <br />design. A large sediment fan, approx. 30 foot by 15 foot and 10 inches deep has been <br />deposited by the mine gate. It is not apparent that this sediment fan is entirely from this <br />single precipitation event. <br />Refuse Sediment Collection Ditch No. 1 runs along the Southern toe of the Coal Waste <br />Bank (Refuse Pile) and directs runoff flow into the sediment pond. The majority of this <br />