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INTRODUCTION -The proposal is a request for a Class II Land Use Permit from La Plata Countyto allowfor a <br />5.1 acre expansion of the present permit limits for the Thomas Gravel Pit. The gravel extraction operation <br />together with gravel screening, crushing, washing, asphalt and concrete production has occurred on the site <br />intermittently since 1930. In addition to the ongoing activities taking place on the site, a key component of the <br />request will allow for the one-time mining of sand and gravel resources an approximately 4.7 acres within the <br />expanded area. <br />The Operational Plan statement and maps is intended to describe the proposed and existing operations in <br />relationship to the site's assets and constraints. On May 15, 2002 the Division of Minerals and Geology <br />approved an amendment to the existing permit for the Thomas Gravel Pit. The reader of this section is <br />encouraged to consult the 112 PermflApplicaSon to the Colorado Mined Land Reclamation Division and La <br />Plata County, February, 2002, by: Greg Lewicki and Associates, for specific construction details, and scientific <br />information not presented herein. <br />Specific activities that currently take place, or are proposed for the properly include: <br />MINING AREAS - A total of 6.2 acres are identified in two separate mining areas within the total expanded <br />permit boundary. A 1.5 acre mining area exists and is located in part of an area in the riverwhich resulted from <br />a gold dredging operation many years ago. The second mining region consists of 4.7 acres in a newarea near <br />the southerly permit boundary at the site of an abandoned waste water treatment plant. <br />The area within the river mining site has been mined by allowing spring thaw flows and thundershowers to <br />deposit gravel in the dredge hole. When river flows are low, the flow is diverted to the east, and gravel <br />extraction is conducted in the dredged area. This type of mining is commonly referred to as, "in-stream mining". <br />This is a mining practice that is common in the Animas River and the upper portions of the Uncompaghre River <br />near the Towns of Ouray and Ridgeway. Gravel removal has not occurred since 1998. Gravel extraction <br />usualty occurs over a one or iwo month period, during low river flows. The removal process has been <br />conducted using loaders, and/or excavators. Blasting of the resource is not necessary. Haul trucks transport <br />the sand and gravel resource to the identified staging area as depicted on the accompanying Mining Plan Maps, <br />or the ultimate delivery site. Once stockpiled, the material will then be processed. Processing is described later <br />in this section. <br />Mining in the new area will be conducted in a sequential fashion. Prior to any activity taking place in the new <br />mining area, four major river bank stabilization controls will be instituted consisting ofthe construction of: a rock <br />jetty, armoring with pre-cast concrete blocks of approximately 680 feet of river bank adjoining the mining area <br />together with the top-soiling and seeding of the upper river bank areas which will be overlaki with an "Excelsior ° <br />erosion control fabric. Construction details and specifications are included within the previously mentioned in <br />the (112) Division of Minerals and Geology application. The bank stabilization measures have received <br />approval for construction from the Division of Minerals and Geology, and the Army Corps of Engineers. <br />Setbacks between the mining area and the property boundary have been maintained to protect the integrity of <br />the adjoining land. <br />When the gravel extraction process begins, the first step of the process will be the removal of pond liners, <br />miscellaneous concrete structures, piping and fencing which is part of an abandoned waste water treatment <br />plant. The waste will be hauled to an approved solid waste receiving facility. Once the waste material has been <br />removed, the soil overburden removal process will begin. Overburden will be excavated using loaders, and <br />trucks to the underlying sand and gravel strata. Overburden will also be stockpiled near the extraction area. <br />Appro>amately 3,872 cubic yards of overburden will be removed from the un-mined area. All of the stockpiled <br />overburden will ultimately be used in the reclamation process. 6ctraction of the resource will conducted to <br />maintain side slopes not exceeding 3 feet horizontalty to 1 foot vertical. This one time mining effort will begin <br />