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protected to a greater degree. The proposed mining operation is required to replace all <br />losses in the same time, location and quantity. As part of their purchase of the Nix <br />property, Owens Brothers Concrete is acquiring approximately 483 acre-feet per year of <br />water resources in the Last Chance Ditch Company, which is available to replace losses <br />incurred during the dewatering process. The expected yearly water loss from all <br />operations will be well below the amount of water for available for replacement. <br />The rates at which water is depleted from dewatering operations and recharged into <br />alluvium are a function of hydrologic and geologic data of the alluvium materials such as <br />transmissivity and specific yield. Owens Brothers Concrete will maintain a monthly <br />accounting schedule that calculates the amount of water needing to be replaced. The <br />water accounting is based on the amount of materials mined, exposed surface acreage, <br />seepage, runoff, and evaporation. This schedule will be made available to the local <br />water commissioner upon request. <br />Owens Brothers has already begun monitoring the water levels for those wells located <br />on the Nix farm. We would gladly take monthly well level readings from any <br />surrounding well, spring, or wetland area at no cost to the landowner for use in <br />establishing baseline data. This data can then be compared to data collected during the <br />mining process to help prevent possible changes in the water table. If the table drops to <br />a level of concern then appropriate measures will be taken to alleviate the problem. <br />Possible measures for maintaining historic water levels may consist of diverting portions <br />of Owens Brothers' water rights directly into the areas of concern via unlined recharge <br />ditches. Direct pumping, using alternate points of diversion of water rights up-gradient <br />of the area, and/or the trucking in of water are also possible options. In the meantime, <br />Owens Brothers has committed to contracting an area hydrologic engineer to conduct <br />an analysis of the area's water tables to determine the possibility of injury to local water <br />rights. <br />Owens Brothers Concrete Company respects your concerns and is willing to work with <br />you in providing a solution. We look forward to meeting with you and Forest Leaf to <br />further address these issues. <br />If you have any questions, please feel free to contact me at 303-2743277. <br />Sincerely, <br />Banks and Gesso, LLC <br />'1 <br />John nningham <br />cc: Bill Owens, Owens Brothers Concrete Company <br />Chris Gathman, Weld County Planning <br />Tony Waldren, Division of Minerals and Geology <br />20075-Other Correspondence <br />