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t ~ ~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ • <br />~ sss <br />INTEROFFICE MEMORANDUM <br />TO: FOmEL CREEK b1IN LE, C-8?-056 <br />FROM: JANET B WNS <br />SUBJECT: FISH CREEK O PILL3/30/99 <br />DATE: 03/)0/99 <br />CC: DAN HERN.4NDEZ, DAVE BERRY <br />I had called Twentymile Coal Company today at 10: 15 am to discuss permitting <br />considerations with RN-03. While speaking with the secretary, she put Joe Shoemaker of <br />Twentymile Coal Company on the line. <br />Joe informed me that Twentymile Coal Company had another break in the mine water <br />discharge line between the Fish Creek borehole and the treatment ponds. Joe stated that <br />no water made it to Fish Creek. The spilled mine water settled into the low areas <br />between the west side of the pond and the NPDES point, and north of the access road. <br />Joe estimated that the ponded azea was approx. 30 ft. long x I ~ ft. wide x 0.5 ft. deep. <br />(22~ cu.ft. = 1683 gallons) This area was quite saturated. Mine is in snowmelt with <br />patchy snow still present on the ground. Joe stated that he did collect a water sample in <br />the impounded water and sent it to the lab. Field parameters were: Temp.= 14° C, pH = <br />9.3, EC = 7800 umhos/cm, Fe = 0.3 mg/l visual test kit. Spill water had "chemical <br />treatment but not pond retention. The discharge level at the flume at NPDES pt. OO l = <br />0.3 on the staff guage. <br />Joe believed the break to be due to a build up of chemical in the line and back pressure on <br />the pipe. Joe had checked the pump and discharge at 5:00 pm 3/29/99 with no problems <br />noted. He checked the site at 7:15 am 3/30/99 and found the leak. The pump was turned <br />off at 7:15 am. <br />Joe called the Division at 1:40 pm to provide an update on the spill. All the impounded <br />water had permeated into the soil in the "impounded" area. He stated the Twentymile <br />Coal Company believes the breakage problems to be due to in line blockages that act to <br />accumulate the flocculant and Sodium Hydroxide. The in line meter appears to be <br />causing the chemical to form a blockage within the waterline. Twentymile Coal <br />Company would like to put the meter at the inflow point where the mine water is pumped <br />into the pond prior to addition of chemical. I told Joe that seemed appropriate to me. <br />Water flow could be measured at point of inflow to ponds with this new meter and then at <br />the outflow, NPDES point, when discharging. Twentymile Coal Company would also <br />like to install the waterline temporarily on the surface. I discussed with Joe potential for <br />freezing and containment of potential spill from a surface line. He thought they could <br />continue to use the existing SAE's to con[ain potential spills. I explained the problem <br />