ENFORCE33203

• Permit No: C1981048
• IBM Index Class Name: Enforcement
• Doc Date: 11/15/1989
• Doc Name: TRINIDAD BASIN MINE LAND USE CONSIDERATION
• From: MLRD
• To: MIKE LONG
• Violation No.: CV0000000
• Media Type: D
• Archive: No

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DEPARTMENT OF NATURAL RESOURCES / ~.
MINED LAND RECLAMATION DIVISION ~ ' ~'" ~„ ~:'~
FRED R. BANTA, Director ,'• ~ 4~ti~~1 !;'~~
DATE: November l5, 1989
T0: Mike Long '_\~~
FROId: Jim Pendleton
RE: Trinidad 8a 1n Mi - Land Use Consideration
In response to your request, I visited the Trinidad Basin Mine in the company
of Mike Savage and Randy Price. Aland developer has subdivided a portion of
the reclaimed contour strip mine permit area into 35+ acre lots which are
being marketed as "Del ADUa Canyon Ranches". A subdivision plat has been
approved and recorded by the County Commissioners. The subdivision contains
64 lots covering approximately four sections or 2760 acres (see attached
Plat). Portions of nine lots (Lots X32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 38, 39, 40 & 64) have
been surface-mined and reclaimed by the Trinidad Basin Mine (see attached
sketch plan). While I'm not aware of the exact extent and location of
historic underground coal mininD locally, the abundant relics of historic
mining suggest that much of the subdivision may be undermined.
Two lane dirt roads have been constructed by the land developer to provide
access to the Dlatted lots. No surfacing material or culverts have been
installed, although some culverts were on site. No apparent home construction•
activity was evident on any of the lots within the TB14 permit area.
In this situation I suspect that we have no ,iurisdiction over any party other
than the Permittee. The Trinidad Basin idine permit has been suspended by the
board. However, in keeping with our general mandate to protect the health and
safety of the public and the environment, I believe we should inform the
Permittee, the Land Developer and the County Commissioners that portions of
this subdivision have been surface-mined and undermined, and that we recommend
that anyone developing this land should be•informed that engineering
constraints or hazards may exist within the previously mined portions of the
subdivision.
We performed a reconnaissance of the reclaimed areas on November 15, 1989.
Our examination discerned that the regraded contour strip-mined slope areas,
with gradients as steep as 1:1 in isolated locations, appear to be stable.
',ae found no evidence of recent slope movement. However, consolidation of the
backfilled spoil has resulted in discernable settlement scarps throughout
approximately half the length of the contour strip's backfilled area. These
settlement scarps are commonly 6 to 24 inches in vertical height. In almost
all cases examined slopewash activity has closed any extension cracks, with
only a few small (less than 6 inches) isolated voids remainin_a. Some rillino_
and sullying has occurred on these backfilled slope areas.
215 Centennial Building, 1313 Sherman Street Denver, Cofo:ado 80203-2273 7e1. [phone]