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Ms. Erica Crosby <br />October 13, 1997 <br />Page 2 <br />The last regulation cited, 4.05.6(3)(c), was for failure to <br />maintain a nonclogging dewatering device. The primary spillway at <br />pond 006 consists of a 4-inch diameter dewatering orifice cut <br />into a 24-inch drop inlet corrugated metal pipe with a trash <br />screen covering the inlet. Pond 006 is utilized as a filling <br />station for water suppression on the Seneca II-W haul road system <br />and an electrical pump is permanently located in the pond near <br />the spillway. For further environmental protection, an oil boom <br />surrounds the trash screen and spillway inlet, should a problem <br />develop with the pump. Upon detection that the primary spillway <br />was not discharging, Seneca immediately tried to rectify this <br />problem. <br />Mr. Dennis Jones, Seneca hydrologist, notified the Colorado <br />Department of Health that we would need to Bump the water out of <br />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. With a slight rain falling, the violation was then <br />issued at noon, and we were given until 5:00 p.m. to get the <br />spillway unplugged. <br />Mr. Brad Brown, General Manager, was then notified of the <br />situation. Brad wearing a pair of fishing waders then went out to <br />where the drop inlet was approximately located. He probed around <br />the spillway until he was able to locate the trash rack. Debris <br />and sediment had blocked the dewatering orifice and surrounded <br />the trash screen. After approximately 45 minutes, Brad was able <br />to remove a portion of the oil boom, which allowed 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 />procedures were not very safe, due to the amount of head and <br />potential to be sucked underwater once the spillway started to <br />discharge. Based on the circumstances and approaches Seneca <br />attempted previously, this was about the only method left to <br />clear this spillway. We believe that the time constraint placed <br />on us to abate the violation, unduly put one of our employees at <br />risk. <br />