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iii iiiiiiiiiiiu iu STATE OF COLORADO DIVISION OF MINERALS AND GEOLOGY Department of Natural Resources 1313 Sherman SL, Room 215 Denver, CO 80203 Phone: IlOll 8663567 FAX:(3031832~8106 March 24, 1994 Mr. Julian E. Gallegos 2225 West 2nd Avenue Durango, Colorado 81301 RE: Drainage & Flooding Problems on your Property Dear Mr. Gallegos: ti~ a A~ ~ It]6 Boy Romer rosernor Michael B. Lmg Division Director This letter is in response to your 3/19/94 correspondence requesting some assistance. from our office in evaluating any effect_ __ that mining operations located up drainage from your property may have had in causing or contributing to the drainage and flooding problems evident on your property as a result of heavy rainfall events that occurred in late August of 1993. I inspected the J 8. J Pit operated by Durango Gravel (formerly Glacier Gravel Products), permit No. M-85-001, on March 23, 1994 in the company of Jim Helmericks who operates the pit and has a residence located south of the mining operation. I also inspected the portion of the drainage area in question that is near the Carbon Junction Coal Mine operated by Oak Ridge Energy (formerly Pueblo Coal Co.), permit no. C-82-054,. on March 24, 1994. Although the Carbon Junction mine has been in temporary cessation (inactive) for several years, Mr. Jim Hendricks who is a company representative has a residence located near the mine and maintains the drainage control system and access roads on a regular basis.. During the inspection I was able to walk the entire drainage is question from a point on your property up past the J & J Pit and onto Ewing Mesa north of where the Carbon Junction Mine is located. I also inspected the affected area of the J & J Pit and observed how runoff from storm events is routed from the disturbed area and eventually back into the natural drainage via the drainage control system employed by the mining operation. Based on my observations, it does not appear that either operation has in any significant way caused or contributed to the drainage and flooding problems that occurred on your property. The reasons for this are as follows: 1) It became readily apparent from walking the drainage that the probable source of the cobble material clogging the portion of the drainage channel situated between your property and the parcel on which Century Equipment is located is primarily the bottom and side embankments of the upgradient portion of the natural drainage channel itself. Excessive scouring of the cl;ennel bottom, measuring 3 or more vertical .feet from the pre-storm bottom elevation to the present channel bottom in 1