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.~ • III IIIIIIIIIiilllli • 999 CFsRTIFLED MAIL April 13, 19~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~~ Colorado Mined Land Reclamation Division 1313 Sherman Street /~ 215 APR 1 B ;~~~ Denver, Colorado 80203 MINr:p ~,qNU DECLAMATION Olvlg~~t`) Gentlemen: Ref: United Companies Permit Application This letter is in opposition to the application of United Companies of Mesa County fora reclamation permit on a proposed gravel nit on 30 Road and C~ Road in the area bordering on Grand Junction. In 1983 during the spring runoff of the Colorado River following a very heavy snowfall winter in the Colorado @iver drainage of Colorado I was awed by the tremendous amount of water coming down the river xhen it reached its peak irr early June. Despite efforts by various private land ormers and Mesa County to control it in various places, the water simply ran where the volwne pushed it. In one place just west of the proposed gravel pit the Colorado River moved 1400 feet north of its pre-1983 channel before it turned southwesterly. It flooded Corn Lake on 32 Road, other places in the valley and even a residence was swept away as it flowed through the valley. After seeing what the river can do I go on record opposing, any approval of this gravel pit 'reclamation permit for United Companies. It is my understanding your office reviews applicant proposals and decides if their plans will result in no damage to the environment nor pm perty owners adjacent to the concluded gravel pit. Normally I understand your desire to see that slope angles are such and that no major chanSes will occur in the vicinity. Based upon what I have seen at other approved gravel pits this pit can not be reclaimed. The hole in the ground, despite arty return of surface overburden will fill with water (as designed by United Companies) and become ponds that are worthless except for possible xater-fowl use, trey do not do anything to reduce further surface destruction of the immediate area around it. 'The proposed gravel pit next to the Colorado River xill result in the personal destruction and economic loss to the land owners including their residences and outbuildings because there is no way this land can be reclaimed so cl~~se to the Colorado River that will provide any protection to the land owners. united Companies has publicly indicated in their dociunent on file in the Mesa County Clerks Office that upon completion of the pit (end of extraction) the entire pit will be donated to the Colorado Riverfront Commission for their proje<:t, This sounds like a chartRble contribution but by doing so United Companies clearly (and cGs~~) sheds itself of any future liability to the nearby land owners for damages that wlll occur because of their establishing a pit at 30 Road and C~. The Colorado Riverfront Commission would be expected to bear any such liability. As the Colorado makes a new channel through this pit a new floodplain will be created that will affect numerous residents along 30 Road. The reclamation drawing by United Companies shows a lake as ttje final product.