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E <br />• <br />BUT THE MINING IL4S CONTL\"l1ED TO GROW. A'VD THE ENVLROV1~1EtiTAL <br />L~iPACT HAS EXPANDED BEYOND TIC "PIT". AS OVT WORLD-RENOWNED <br />HYDROLOGIST DESCRIBED THE SITUATION TO THE AR~,1Y CORPS OF ENGINEERS: <br />"The in-channel gravel mining industry in the State of <br />Colorado has had a pretty loose rein, and in this illstance is <br />on a run-away course." (May 9, 1996, by David L. Rosgen, <br />P. H.) <br />THIS "INEXHAUSTIBLE SUPPLY"' COMES AT TREMENDOUS COST TO <br />NEI~$BORING PROPERTIES AI`D AFFECTS THE ENTIRE'.1~'ATERSHF;D. <br />ERO510N IS VISIBLY LNCREASED ?.LONG THE B:Lti~S. THIS lS BECAUSE THE <br />RIVER KEEPS TRYING TO FILL I?~' THE "PIT'. <br />THE CHANNEL OF THE RIVER i5 CUT DEEPER L\TO THE STREA!11QED. THIS <br />LOWERS THE WATER TABLE OF THE ENTIRE SURROU^IDI\TG AREA TZ:IIS LEAVES <br />DEAD AND DYING TREES WHEN THE ROOTS CAN'T REACH WATER AND iT <br />LEAVES NON-IRRIGATED RIVER BOTTO?vf LANDS PARCHED A_ND DRY, BECAUSE <br />IT NO LONGER SUB-IRRIGATES. Ii ELL~17:~'ATES SOME WETL.A_~IDS. <br />IN ONE INSTANCE IT HAS ELLM1IL~iATED APi ENTIRE CH.4NtiEL OF THE RIVER. <br />NOTE THE FOLLOWING SITE REPORTS ON THE THOMAS PIT (MOUNTAIN REDI <br />MIX) BY THE COLORADO DIVISION OF MINED RECLAbi4T10~1, SUCH REPORTS <br />BEING JUST 12 YEARS APART: <br />APRIL 27, 1976: "There are 3 channels in the <br />river here. The westernmost channel is man mttde <br />and flows water in to their operation for <br />processing." (by Robert C. Campbell) <br />AUGUST 19, 1988: "Most of the streamflow <br />(2!3) now runs through the excavated channel, with <br />1!3 remaining to flow through the channel <br />unaffected by mining." (John T. Doerfer) <br />There is absolutely no mention of what was once a <br />channel of the Animas River but which is now hi~g~, <br />and drv. <br />BUT, RIVERS CHANGE DON'T TI-{EY? YES. THEY ARE DY~7AhIIC A.~fD' TRY TO <br />