GENERAL40764

• Permit No: M1988112
• IBM Index Class Name: General Documents
• Doc Date: 3/16/2000
• Doc Name: CORROSION OF AN IRRIGATION WELL AT THE SHALOM RANCH
• From: COLO DEPT OF PUBLIC HEALTH AND ENVIRONMENT
• To: DOUG GEORGE ATTORNEY FOR SHAOLOM RANCH
• Media Type: D
• Archive: No

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STATE OF COLORADO
Bill Owens, Governor
Jane E. Norton, Executive Director OF~co
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Dedicated to protec(ing and improving the health and environment of [he people o(Colorado ~~
4300 Cherry Creek Dr. 5.
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d Laboratory and Radiation Services Division
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Phone [phone] Denver CO 00230-6920
TDD Line [phone] [phone] RECE COlorsdo Deparunent
Located in Glendale, Colorado IVED of Public 1-lalrh
h[tp://www.cdphe.sute.m.us
MAR 16 2000 and Ettvironma[[
March 13, 2000 Division or Minerab & Geology
Doug George, Attorney for Shalom Ranch
1115 Main Street
Alamosa, Colorado 81101
Deaz Mr. George:
Subject: Corrosion of an Irrigation Well at the Shalom Ranch
Thank you for your letter of Mazch 3`d in which you describe corrosion of a well at the Shalom
Ranch in Costilla County. Based on your letter, the corrosion of metal parts involved in the
operation of Mr. Cooper's well has had a serious impact on the well's ability to produce the flow
necessary to operate the center pivot. I consulted with the Department's Water Quality Control
Division (WQCD) to learn whether the cause of the damage to the well can be related to the
seeps to the Rito Seco on property owned by the Battle Mountain Gold Company.
Their review of the data described in several reports submitted by the company, as ,yell as the
results of samples collected by the EPA, confirms that the chemicals described in y Sur letter
have been detected in the seeps. Additional review of data for samples collected fr[3m the Rito
Seco at the company's downstream property boundary indicates that the concentrations of most
of these chemicals aze virhrally equivalent to concentrations upstream of the mining activity.
The data show that the concentrations of total dissolved solids and sulfate have increased in the
Rito Seco. It is quite unlikely that the concentrations of these constituents in the Rito Seco
would cause the type of damage described in your letter if this water were to be directly
transmitted to the well. These concentrations would be further diluted between the mine site and
the Ranch and the water could take a substantial period to make its way from the sti•eam through
the alluvial aquifer to the Shalom Ranch well, if it were to make it to the well at all.
The WQCD has been working with the Division of Minerals and Geology (DMG) :[nd the
company on the implementation of a "pump and treat" system that has lowered the level of
contaminated ground water in the West Pit at the mine by several feet. This, in turri, caused the
flow from [he seeps to cease late last month. This indicates that the flow of ground water from
the West Pit to the Rito Seco has been substantially reduced. The company is in th[; final stages
of completing installation of permanent facilities that will lower the ground water I[;vel even
further and is expected to keep any contaminated ground water from reaching the Rito Seco.