1994-09-28_REPORT - M1977448

• Permit No: M1977448
• IBM Index Class Name: Report
• Doc Date: 9/28/1994
• Doc Name: INVOICE
• From: CARHART FEED & SEED INC
• To: B MINING CO
• Media Type: D
• Archive: No

BLM/USFS ID :700-322-7261 SEP 28 '94 13 :22 No .004 P .08
Lion Canyon Road (Vague Canyon)
On September 14, 1994, Tom Schreiner, hydrologist for Colorado Mina Land
Reclamation Division, accompanied me on an inspection of Lion Canyon Road, St.
Patrick mine spur road (T.47N. R.20W. Section 28) and the area adjacent to the
closed mine portal.
Lion Canyon Road has sustained ei,jnificant water damage and needs to be repaired.
There is inadequate turn around space where the road becomes impassible. It is
appropriate to state that the road is unsafe and could be a hazard to the public.
background inforutioni
Schreiner and I were in the Parsdox area in June, 1994 and I mentioned that in
April I hadn't evaluated the revegetation success at the Saint Patrick site as
the road that connects highway SO with the mine's spur road had washed out and
I hadn't walked clear to the minty. I was concerned about the volume of sediment
deposition at the base of Lion Caayon, and the deteriorating L.0 road condition.
Due to time constraints we decid-d to limit an unscheduled road inspection to a
quick look at the road surface and water movement between the drift fence and the
first culvert. A small volume of water was flowing at the time of the inspection,
but the turbidity was low. The culvert was plugged and water was cutting across
the road and had worn an enlarged outflow channel to the stream below. Stream
bank stabilisation construction work had been done at the mouth of Lion Canyon
along the North aide of Highway 90 earlier in the spring, and we noted that
activity.
What is the purpose of the road red who maiutains it's safe condition?
Red Canyon Quadrant map indicated the Lion Canyon road i■ primarily in Montrose
County, (T47N. R20W) however, port of the road may crone the state line into
Utah. The road provides access up Lion Canyon and connects to a complex network
of roads, 2-tracke and trails. uetween the mouth of Lion Canyon and the top of
the canyon, the road intersects spur roads to three underground Uranium/Vanadium
operations) Black Hat, Blue Cap in Utah, and St. Patrick in Colorado.
BLM record does not specify if Lien Canyon road is an abandoned or not currently
maintained county road, or clarify if the mine owners/operators have maintenance
responsibilities or public safety liabilities on the Lion Canyon Road.
The Saint Patrick Mine (M-77-448) is on Colorado BLH managed lands, CMLRD record
shows the S2,500 bond belongs to parmittee C.W. Bunker and Company. During 1993,
mine operator, Mike Moore, repairad Lion Canyon road and San Miguel Power ramoved
transformer and power pole. Moore took down the mine building, closed the
portal, reseeded the area and closed the spur road to the mine in the fall of
1993. CHLRD representative Allen Sorenson did a joint inspection with BLM on
07/28/93 prior to reseeding activity and found the permitted area in compliance
with the exception of seed establishment.
Eventae
09/15/94 called Mr. Meech, Utah ),bandoned Mine Program regarding statue of Blue
Cap, Meech referred me to Pate Kilborn, Mannti Lasal USFS (BO1-637-2817). Only
the air vent to the Black Hat is on USFS land and access is via Montrose County
Lion Canyon Road. Discussion with the USFS disclosed that the site was
inventoried in early 2990 and a preliminary site assessment submitted to EPA.
The USFS sent us a copy of the report 09116194. Saint Patrick Mine was included
in the inventory an part of the `Slack Hat complex'. This report apparently
showed that the complex exceeded EPA standards for selenium and Alpha 226.
checked with Sara Johnson, CSHD (303)-692-3590, and Harry Campbell uvxg (801)-
538-6146. Their records indicated no industrial storm water permit applications