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<br />Mr. Gregg Squire <br />Colorado Mined Land Recl. Div. <br />2 <br /> <br />July 20, 1987 <br />we plan to construct the following number of ponds in Ashmore, Derringer and <br />Enfield Pits by mid-October, 1987. More or fewer ponds may be appropriate but <br />the average pond density will not be exceeded. <br />Area Ponds <br />Ashmore Pit 11 <br />Derringer Pit 18 <br />Enfield Pit 15 <br />68.9 <br />16.9 <br />16.3 <br />Trapper presently has constructed two ponds in Ashmore Pit, three ponds in <br />Derringer Pit, and eight ponds in Enfield Pit. <br />In the Division's July 1, 1987, correspondence the Division presented two <br />basic concerns, listed below. <br />As written, your letter gives no maximum number of ponds to be built. A <br />number based on one pond per a certain number of disturbed acres should be <br />given. <br />Response: <br />A pond spacing of no more than one pond per ten acres of watershed is pro- <br />posed. This average pond density would be consistent with SCS <br />recommendations. <br />According to Mr. Leonard Jurgens, Soil Conservation Service, Range Conser- <br />vationist, Denver office, the primary criteria for spacing is an adequate <br />water yield from the watershed to make the livestock ponds useable. If <br />adequate runoff is available for storage, he recommends that livestock <br />ponds be installed because they improve livestock distribution, enhance <br />habitat for wildlife, allow for groundwater recharge, increase the acres of <br />wetland habitat and reduce downstream sediment loads. Further, he stated, <br />"I cannot see any detrimental effects of additional water storage but I can <br />see many benefits from this." <br />Trapper Mining Inc. should provide a justification for the construction <br />of whatever number of ponds is proposed. Such a justification should be <br />based on the amount of water available, optimum number of ponds for live- <br />stock use on the area, and how the proposed number will result in the maxi- <br />mum beneficial use of the area after reclamation. <br />Response• <br />Following is a short calculation (Fig. 1) which illustrates that, a[ a <br />minimum, a 10-acre watershed would be sufficient to provide approximately <br />Approximate Average <br />Drainage Acres/Pond <br />cont. <br />