Laserfiche WebLink
<br /> <br />Ms. Carla Lenkey <br />December 29, 1997 <br />Page 3 <br />The total amount of precipitation for this period amounts to 4.72 <br />inches. The 10-year, 24-hour storm event for Seneca is 1.70 <br />inches, which was exceeded on Friday the 19th. In addition to <br />this, from 6 a.m. on the 18th to 6 a.m. on the 21St, the mine <br />received 4.05 inches. As stated in the October 3181 letter to <br />you from Dennis, this amount of precipitation is equivalent to 26 <br />percent of the average annual rainfall observed at the NOAA <br />Hayden Weather Station located seven miles away. <br />On Thursday, the 25th Erica and I inspected the Seneca II Mine <br />the entire day. While at Pond 006 we attempted to pump the water <br />out of the pond, to lower the water level to get to the covered <br />spillway. A hose was attached to the electrical pump and layed <br />out so that the outflow would be discharged at the end of the <br />spillway outlet channel. When the pump was started, a problem <br />immediately occurred and the motor shorted out completely. We <br />then moved a diesel pump into the pond and starting pumping, but <br />this only worked for a short period of time before it was getting <br />plugged also. We did get some water pumped out of the pond, but <br />the motors kept getting plugged with sediment and shutting off. <br />With a slight rain falling on Friday morning, Erica and I went <br />back to Pond 006 to investigate what had occurred from the prior <br />day. At that time there was no activity at the pond site and <br />Erica decided to issue a notice of violation (NOV) at noon. The <br />NOV was written for failure to maintain the primary spillway and <br />maintaining the nonclogging dewatering device, as well as passing <br />outflow through the emergency spillway at pond 006. To abate the <br />violation, Seneca was required to unplug the primary spillway by <br />5:00 P.M. on September 26, 1997, the day the NOV was issued. <br />Mr. Brad Brown, General Manager, and Mr. Gregg Kitchen, <br />Production Manager, were then notified of the situation. They <br />proceeded to tell Erica the details and problems we had the <br />previous day of trying to pump the water out of the pond. Brad, <br />Greg and I then went over to pond 006. Brad wearing a pair of <br />fishing waders then went out to where the drop inlet was <br />approximately located. He probed around the spillway until he was <br />able to locate the trash rack. Debris and sediment had blocked <br />the dewatering orifice and surrounded the trash screen. After <br />approximately 45 minutes, Brad was able to remove a portion of <br />the oil boom, which allowed a small amount of water to start <br />entering the drop inlet. Ms. Crosby was called out to the pond to <br />see that the spillway was now discharging and the violation was <br />abated. After another 45 minutes, Brad was able to attach a <br />grappling hook and wrap a chain around the trash screen and our <br />trackhoe was able to lift a section of the screen from around the <br />drop inlet to allow for additional clearing of the drop inlet. <br />Even though Seneca was able to abate the violation, the above <br />