REV102313 - Laserfiche WebLink

Home Browse Search

"RAM RRBORLRND NURSERY FAX ND. 9705872832 Dec. 04 2001 09:113AM P3 Page 2 In 1975 the old gravel pit that was on my property was reclaimed by contouring the sides of the pit and raising the floor by as much as SIX feet in same places. ^irt was then trucked in from the old land fill site some lwo miles distant to cover 19.6 acres with 12 inches of soil. The cost in 1975 dollars for this protect was 550,000. Slnce then many crops of cam stalks and thousands of tons of manure have improved the dead fill dirt to productive top soil. This area is now an irrigated pasture for my buffalo hard. My farm historically has produced potatoes, sugar beets, field cam, alfalfa, barley, wheat and grass hay prior to it's conversion to trees in the mid 80's through the early 90's. Currently my lower fields contain approximately 9,000 trees with a retail value of $9,000,000. This is a value far too great to gamble that nothing bad will happen if the water table changes. During the entire productive life of this fens a high water table and alkaline salts have never been a problem. While the computer¢ed model simulation undoubtedly is helpful in projecting what might happen, it's validity Is still directly dependent upon guessing on what the variables are when plugging numbers into the equation. For example, in the simulation on my properly it is assumed that the pump will run at full capadty 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. While this might be true for a couple of weeks in July or August, it certainly is not the rule. It is not real Iffe, therefore this projection is flawed. The subsurface drain is a huge step in preventing a water mounding problem from happening, but the question still remains as to what will be done if the water table becomes elevated to a harmful level despite efforts to the eorrtrary, What happens if the drain plugs up after the mining operations cease? Currently I am being asked to accept a computer model as gospel truth in this matter. If computer models were 100% accurate the weather bureau would know exactly where and when the next hurricane will fall, Earth quakes, blizzards, thunderstorms and even Wall Street profit and losses would no longer he surprise events, but planned and expected outcomes. This is not real life, only an educated guess. If the computer model is accurate enough for me to accept it, then It should also be good enough reason for Aggregate Industries to guarantee me against damages that the slurty wall might produce. In the October 23, 2001, letter from Rocky Mountain Consultants, Inc., Aggregate Industries was willing to make a "commitment to mitigate any well production problems caused by, and during, mining°. 1 still want to see a specific commitment as to what aggregate Industries will do if either my water well production problem occurs of if the water table is elevated to rouse harm to my farm fields. Spe~c~lly, if piezometers are used, how many individual monitors need to detect elevated water levels before there Is alann7 How long does the level need to be elevated ? How high does the level need to be before there is concern? These are all serious questions that need serious answers that we can all agree upon. I need more than a hypothetical answerto a real world problem. On all of the other issues Aggregate Industries has shown a willingness to demonstrate good faith In being a quality operator of their proposed operation. I want to see them succeed. They want to mine gravel across the road from me and it looks like they will be good neighbors. But I want to be sure that my farm and my economic security will not be compromised in their mining effort. Sincerely, Gene Kammerzell Arborland Nursery oc: canna Ortiz, Rocky Mountain Cortsultants, Inc. Kim Ogle, Weld County Department of Planning Services