_INSPECTION - C1980006 (35) - Laserfiche WebLink

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III. COMMENTS -COMPLIANCE Below are comments on the inspection. The comments include discussion of observations made during the inspection. Comments also describe any enforcement actions taken during the inspection and the facts or evidence supporting the enforcement action. This was a partial inspection conducted by Janet Binns of Colorado Division of Reclamation, Mining and Safety. The mine is a reclaimed surface mine. The weather was cloudy and windy with a spring rain/snow storm moving in during the inspection. The mine access road gate is locked, however, one of the locks has been locked out. The silver"American"brand key lock is only hooked through the Mountain Parks Electric lock and not through any part of the chain. Roads: The mine access road was free of snow, was driveable and muddy. Hydrologic Balance: Loadout pond was discharging—0.06 on staff gauge at the v-notch weir. Effluent was clear. KCC had reported that they were conducted minor repairs on the drop structures at ponds A & D. An excavator was stored on the mine access road. Repairs had been conducted at Pond A. No leaking of the inlet was observed. KCC had replaced the rip rap on the Pond A embankment, and repairs looked complete and effective. Pond, E was discharging clear at 0.16 on the staff gauge. There are still patches of snow on the embankment of Pond E. Ponds A, B D and F were all holding water but not discharging. Repairs appear to have been completed at Pond D as well, as no leaking of the drop inlet was observed. Reve etg ation: Reclaimed Pond G area is filling in well with perennial grasses and perennial forbs. Species observed becoming established on the reclaimed Pond G area include Lewis flax,yarrow, sagebrush, fringed sage, fescue and wheatgrass. This area is blending in well with surrounding undisturbed land, and not exhibiting rills or gullies. Vegetation throughout the mine is just beginning to green up as the snowpack is just finishing melt off. No problems were noted throughout the mine site. Pit 1 Southwest side of the valley looks good and is not eroding or gullying. Vegetative cover is good throughout the Pit 1 area. Some water is ponding in the floor of the Pit 1 drainage. Wildlife: 3 dead elk carcasses were caught in the fence along the loadout access road. Fresh moose tracks were observed crossing the load out. Spring peepers (frogs) were chirping in the loadout pond. Frogs were also observed swimming in the ponded water in PD4 in Pit 1. As observed by a large number of tracks through the mine site, a large herd of elk traversed the Marr mine area north of Pond D recently. Sage Grouse scat was observed at the reclaimed G pond topsoil pile area, indicating that Sage Grouse are using this reclaimed area. A red tailed hawk was noted at the mine access road gate. Four Pronghorn antelope were observed browsing near Pond B. 3 of 4 WHITE-File YELLOW-Operator PINK-Specialist