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LAW OFFICE of DOUG GEORGE 1115 1Vlain Street, Alamosa, CO 81101 (719) 589-6767 Fax No. (719) 589-1450 March 3, 2000 Michael Long, Director Colorado Division of Minerals and Geology ~\~1~~ 1313 Sherman Street, Room 215 ~~GG ,LQQO Denver, CO 80203 _,w~p6 Geo~'1 RE: Indication of Rito Seco Upstream Conta~y~a~tion, Costilla County, Colorado 0~'~S Dear Mr. Long: This letter is written with reference to the matters also referenced in the "Notice of Violation and Intent to Sue Pursuant to the Clean Water Act," dated August 4, 1999, which concerned seeps identified on Battle Mountain Gold property located near San Luis, Colorado. It is my understanding that testing fro 11 those seeps identified the discharge of several pollutants including calcium, fluoride, manganese (dissolved), manganese (total), sulphate, TDS, iron (dissolved), iron (total), chloride, potassium, silica (dissolved), silica (total), cadmium, and copper. At a location approximately 1 mile downstream of the Battle Mountain Gold discharge, my clients, Shalom Ranch and Sandy Cooper, operate a well and irrigation center pivot, which irrigates their alfalfa field. That well and center pivot provide the water for the crop that furnishes feed for the Shalom Ranch operation. ":'his well has operated for many years producing 800 gallons of water per minute. However, in August of 1999, the well lost 50% of its production, resulting in a prodtr.:tion of 400 gallons per minute. Mr. Cooper investigated the problem thoroughly by the involvement of well e.~cperts and others; and, after other potential causes of the problem were eliminated (e.g. less water available), he was left with the remaining concern of an unusual and rapid corrosion of the metal parts involved in the well's operation. The corrosion included large white "boils" which only appeared on the casing below the water table and which resulted in clogging of 90% of th~° pipe perforations. A piping system, used to vacuum out the well, rusted considerably and also developed white deposits, even though that line was only in the hole for approximately 2 weeks.