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ALBERT FRET AND SONS, INC. <br />WORTHING SUBDlVlSION <br />CASE # SS76-ZP <br />At this time we have approximately 5 years worth of proven <br />reserves on the southern end of the area. We also believe the <br />site is underlain by a band of gravel material that is an addi- <br />tional 20 to 25 feet deep. We cannot confirm this until all the <br />water is out of the lake so we can investigate the site. <br />This change came about because we were approached by MKK <br />Constructors about removing borrow material from the bottom of <br />the mine. Using material from this site as fill was an attrac- <br />tive alternative to hauling borrow material to the area. Their <br />idea was to dewater the lake, remove shale material from the lake <br />bottom to use a fill and allow the lake to refill. This would <br />solve many problems and save time during construction of the <br />highway along this reach. A small area in the northeast part of <br />our site needs to be filled to bring the grade up to the road <br />level and the use of onsite materials is more attractive than <br />hauling fill to the site. It also allows MKK to use the highway <br />ROW for transporting material to the section of highway being <br />built between HWY 85 and the River reducing impacts to local <br />roads. After reviewing their proposal we felt this would also <br />allow us to remove all gravel left on the site as well and <br />evaluate the possibility of turning this area into a water <br />storage lake. The demand for gravel in Adams County is such that <br />leaving any material in a proven reserve is bad business. <br />The problems associated with wet mining operations has lead <br />us search for a more efficient way to remove as much material <br />from a site as possible. Wet mining does not allow that to <br />happen, since an operator cannot see underwater to know if all <br />the gravel is removed. Dry mining is an acceptable and proven <br />method for removing gravel in the South Platte alluvium. This is <br />evident by the number of gravel operations in the county where <br />dewatering is an integral part of the operations plan for any <br />given mine. <br />Our analysis of the problems associated with wet mining <br />operations also led us to believe the future of alluvial gravel <br />mining in the metro area is dependent on a way to protect the <br />ground water supplies and still allow mining. For our company to <br />survive this crisis we need a way to have water available when it <br />is time to start a new mining operation. Once this facility is <br />completed, we will have adequate storage to develop future gravel <br />operations along the South Platte River and in the metro area in <br />general. Whether left as a gravel lake or lined for water <br />storage the site will still be compatible with surrounding uses. <br />in 1990 the gravel industry was hit with a requirement to <br />mitigate the evaporative losses from this kind of lake. This <br />meant we had to obtain a large amount of water just to cover the <br />losses at this facility, that further contributed to our need to <br />find a way to turn this site from a liability into an asset for <br />the company. The critical lack of water on the front range has <br />forced gravel mining companies to pursue ways to reduce or <br />eliminate water lost from open mines. Every acre of ground water <br />exposed to the air causes a loss of water from the system, so a <br />4 <br />