1999-03-15_PERMIT FILE - M1999011

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• • ._.. STATE OF OFFICE OF THE STATE ENGINEER Division o(Water Resources Department of Natural Resources 1313 Sherman Street, Room 818 Denver, Colorado 80203 Phone (3031 866-3581 FA%: (3031 866 3 589 MAR 15 1999 -;,,.;,on ci +dilnerats 8 Geology iiiiiiiii~iiiiiiiu 999 COLORADO h l l p://w a ler. state.co.us/de(a u l I. htm Response to Reclamation Permit Application Consideration pF [OHO ,o ~~~~ Rb ~.~3~. Bill Owens Governor Greg E. Walther Executive Direc~ar Hal D. Simpson, P.E. Seale Engineer DATE: March 15, 1999 TO: James C. Stevens, Senior Environmental Protection Specialist CC: Division 2 Office; District 67 Water Commissioner, Bill Fronczak FROM: Kathleen L. Sullivan RE: Craig Pit, File No. M-99-01 l Operator: Lyman-Richey Corporation, Contact: Carl Roberts, {402)564-2875 Section 27, Twp 9 South, Rng 56 West, 6th P.M., Lincoln County CONDITIONS FOR APPROVAL ^ The proposed operation does not anticipate exposing groundwater. Therefore, exposure of ground water must not occur during or after mining operations. ® The proposed operation will consume ground water by: ®evaporation, ^ dust control, ^ reclamation, ®water removed in the mined product, ®processing, ^ other:. Prior to initiation of these uses of ground water, the applicant will need to obtain either a gravel pit or other type of well permit, as applicable. However, prior to obtaining a permit, an approved water supply plan or decreed plan for augmentation is required. ^ Prior to approving a well permit, the applicant must conduct a field inspection of the site and document the locations of all wells within 600 feet of the permit area. The applicant must then obtain a waiver of objection from all well owners with wells within 600 feet of the permit area or request a hearing before [he State Engineer. ^ Other: COMMENTS: This mining operation is located in the Upper Big Sandy Designated Ground Water Basin. In the mining application file, the applicant calls this a "semi-wet pi[," stating this mining operation will encounter ground water and will no[ dewater the pit, but will use water from the pit in the product washing process. The applicant also makes the statement that the mining operation "will not affect the quality nor the quantity of ground water," and that there will be "no water leaving the area due to the mining operation." These claims conflict with the prior statements that water will be exposed and used for washing, resulting in evaporative losses from the exposed water surface and during the washing operation, and water retained in the product "leaving the area." The applicant indicated that the operation would obtain "replacement water" from the land owner, John Craig III. However, no Substitute Water Supply Plan or Gravel Pn Well Pern3i[ Application has been submitted to this office for the exposure of ground water in the gravel pit. Additionally, Mr. Craig's well permit application did not include provisions for using the ground water for replacement or augmentation, but only exposure of 3 acres of water in ponds and using that water for washing sand and gravel. The applicant needs to obtain a gravel pit permit prior to ground water use or exposure.