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• December 9, 1999 Mr. Carl Mount Colorado Division of Minerals and Geology 1313 Sherman Street, Room 215 Denver, CO 80203 Dear Mr. Mount: SUBJECT: M-99-098 (Camas Colorado, Inc.) Page I of 5 RECEIVED DEC i ~ 1SS9 Division of Minerab & Geology 13~`- 8 wu2'~ ~4 `" ~ 0 CC g o ~3) My name is Jonathan Cragle. My wife Paula, our four (almost five) children and I live at 13648 WCR 64 in close proximity to the aggregate mining plans proposed by Camas Colorado, Inc. We are not opposed to sharing our neighborhood with an aggregate mining operation or to the future presence of reclamation lakes. However, in speaking with Camas representatives and in reviewing Camas' mining plans, we have developed some serious concerns for the stability of our home (due to disturbed water balances), the feasibility of their reclamation plans and the irreparable depletion of wildlife. Until recently we continued to hope for a sincere route of communication and documented cooperation with Camas and were reserved members of FRAM (Families for Responsible Aggregate Mining). We now wholeheartedly support the concerns of FRAM. Our home sits about 15 feet away from and slightly above the Poudre River's 100-year floodplain. When we purchased our homestead two different inspectors (one representing the Veteran's Administration [VA]) agreed that the house was resting on a stable foundation. No flood insurance was required of us by either the VA or our mortgage company. Thus we bought what we thought was a safe haven for our children to learn and flourish in, in the Greeley countryside. The Poudre River used to oxbow past our house on the southern side. However that oxbow has been cut off by a small dike and now consists of a small canal and three large drainage ponds that drain past our house and into the Poudre. These ponds service a fish farm just west of us and several underground drainage tiles coming from the north. At least 3 of our 4 acres are wooded and 2'/: to 3 lie on the 100-year floodplain. We have regularly enjoyed close quarters with a large variety of wildlife. This has been an exceptional learning place for our children to experience and learn to respect wildlife with which most children seldom ever have contact. We also pasture our livestock on our floodplain acreage, except during two weeks during spring runoff. Let me note again that I am not opposed, generally, to the responsible extraction and use of our aggregate resources. Indeed good businesses, large and small, ought to be encouraged in our state. However, it has come to my attention that the layout of Camas' lakes and dikes, and their exclusion of several underground drainage tiles, spell predictable destruction for my home's stability and my family's country heritage. I have six objections to Camas' plans and their relations with us, their neighbors. I understand there are extensive regulations for the reclamation of aggregate mining operations that are intended to protect our public and private interests as well as the services and investments of our aggregate businesses. On this occasion I hope to persuade you to give extra consideration to the objections raised on behalf of the public (the area of river bottom lands inhabited by an exceptional variety of western wildlife) and our private (a small group of neighbors seeking protection from a very large, well-funded company) interests. Here follows my objections: 1. Lakes 3 and 4 have dikes planned that will narrow the 100-year floodplain upstream from the Poudre's old oxbow leading through my homestead. A cursory review of a legal floodplain map clearly shows the need to compensate for that alteration of the floodplain. The only compensation I have seen is possible space in Lakes 3 and 4 with "ground level" banks and a water level planned for 6 feet below that. However, Camas publicly informed us that they expect the water levels nearest to the Poudre River to be only two feet below the banks, not six. Although Camas may be required to keep the water level in their lakes at 6 feet below the reclaimed bank (as stipulated on their plat); a future owner could legally raise that level according at their discretion. ~ Camas' land spans a large area of varied elevations. If those banks are equal to or slightly higher than the beginning uo .p of the old oxbow or if they offer no extra storage space, then there will be considerable backwaters forced immediately ` into the oxbow. The 1998 Greeley City topography map plainly shows that the most realistic possibility is that the banks of Lakes 3 and 4 will indeed be at least two feet higher than the oxbow. (That map conforms to the USGS quadrangle topography datum.) This floodplain displacement could easily be exaggerated by Lakes 1 and 2 located