2004-08-02_REVISION - M2000158 (3)

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ENVIRONMENT. INC. PAGE 4 AUGUST 2, 2004 Any water pumped from the lined area will be isolated from the surrounding groundwater table by the slurry wall so its re- moval will have no affect on surrounding wells. Any water that evaporates from the developed water storage will be our water and. no make up will be needed. 7. Platte Sand & Gravel LLC has no current water rights to use for filling the lakes. We are currently in negotiations with a group of investors to purchase the two storage reservoirs. If this happens then Platte Sand & Gravel will actually be constructing the reservoirs and we understand that they have the water needed to-fill and operate the facility once com- plete. In addition, Platte River Ranch LLC (property owner) has water in the Western Mutual Ditch that can be converted and stored in the reservoirs if needed. Research by Leonard Rice and Associates indicates that the water could be con- verted and stored in the reservoirs if needed. 8. None will be changed with regards to the unlined lake areas. We still plan to install and maintain the recharge ditch along the eastern mining limits if needed. The liner will isolate the area we plan to dry mine from the surrounding aquifer so the dewatering activities will have no affect on the water table outside the lined area. One typically finds that the liner acts as a dam in the water table and an increase in the water table depth is seen, not a decrease. This is supported on page 3 of the GEI report that reads in part "2. A minOrrise (less than 4 foot) in the groundwater tables should be expected ..." GEI addressed how this possible increase will be handled above by installation of a ditch to regulate the height of the water table to avoid inundating the pastures immediately adjacent to the liners. The inundated area would be contained entirely on the mine site since the slurry wall proposed for Sharkey's Lake 6600 feet north of the south property line. The closest offsite surface well, any well that lies within the same aquifer at the mine, is owned by Dr. Ptaznik and is located approximately 1700 feet east of the Longhorn Lake liner. Since no dewatering will take place in the reservoir areas until the liner around Longhorn Lake and later Sharkey's Lake, is complete the adjoining wells will be unharmed. We have made no proposal to change the water agreement with the neighbors as some dewatering may take place on the other lake areas as mining progresses after the reservoirs are complete. Attached is a copy of•the neighboring well map submitted as Adequacy Exhibit #4 on March 26, 2001 for your review. 9. Very little would change in the floodwater mitigation plan by the installation of the water storage reservoirs. Installa- tion of armoring on the cross banks of the reservoirs (east/west banks) will still be needed as proposed in the original permitting. The change is that entire slope face will be armored instead of just a small band at the water line. This is necessary incase the reservoirs were nearly empty if a flood occurs.