2003-02-12_REPORT - M1981302

• Permit No: M1981302
• IBM Index Class Name: Report
• Doc Date: 2/12/2003
• Doc Name: DMG review of operators levee inspection report
• From: DMG
• To: File
• Media Type: D
• Archive: No

STATE OF COLORADO
DIVISION OF MINERALS AND GEOLOGY
Department of Natural Resources /
1313 Sherman SL, Room 215 ~' (~. /~5 ~ R ~ P b f '~
Denver, Colorado 80203 ~" l q DIVISION O F
Phone: [phone] / ~ e v ~ a w c>t ~ p~ ~0.~d ~ ~5 MINERAL S
FAX: [phone] // !/ O'' ~~`~ ~ ` ~~~ ~ I &
J•e~eE ;,.SPe~t,•o~L ~e.~nf~ GEOLOGY
RECLAMATION
MINING•SAFETY
DATE: February 12, 2003
Bill Owens
Governor
TO: File No. M-1981-302 Greg E. Watcher
Executive Director
~ //' Ronald W. Canany
FROM: Allen Sorenson / "'~ ) Acting Division Director
RE: Levee Inspection, Deepe Farm Pit, Permit No. M-1981-302
The Division of Minerals and Geology (DMG) is in receipt of the inspection report for the October
15, 2002 inspection of the Deepe Farm Pit Levee. This inspection was conducted for the pelTnittee
(Regents of the University of Colorado, hereinafter CU) by Thomas Cowing, a professional
engineer with the University's Department of Facilities Management. No significant levee stability
issues were identified during the inspection of the levee. CU will continue to remove woody
vegetation that may develop on the levee, and will continue to conduct weed control operations and
monitor establishment of beneficial herbaceous vegetation. CU also conducts observations of
seepage under the levee and notes in the inspection report that the seepage is decreasing over time.
Seepage under the levee has been evaluated previously by CU, by the former operator of the pit
(Western Mobile) and by the DMG; the seepage was found to be no threat to the overall stability of
the levee.
DMG inspected the Deepe Farm Pit three times in 1998, twice in 1999, once in 2000, and once in
2001. At this time, there is no reason to inspect this site at a higher frequency than mandated by
Mined Land Reclamation Board Policy of once every four years for an inactive and reclaimed pit
where vegetation establishment is the only remaining permit requirement. This means that the next
regular inspection will not be due until 2005. CU may well request full reclamation responsibility
release before then. The DMG should schedule an interim inspection of the site in the event of a
significant flood along South Boulder Creek to evaluate the post flood condition of the levee.
Absent a flood, and as long as the DMG continues to receive satisfactory levee inspection reports as
required under the terms of the approved permit, and if there are no requests to inspect the site
received from either CU or the public, there is no need to place the Deepe Farm Pit on the DMG
inspection schedule for 2003.
cc: Gregg Squire, DMG (via email)
Carl Mount, DMG (via email)
Thomas Cowing, CU (via email)
c:\acs\My Documen[s\Deepe Farm 10-IS-02 levee insp rpLdoc