Laserfiche WebLink
3.0 PROTECTION OF WATER RESOURCES <br />This section addresses the environmental contamination sources that could potentially <br />impact water resources at the Pit and in the Woody Creek area. The greatest concern is the <br />impact to public/private drinking water supplies - those individuals who rely on groundwater <br />wells in the area. <br />3.1 POTENTIAL SOURCES OF CONTAMINATION <br />Environmental constituents of concern at the Pit include a variety of hydrocarbon <br />compounds originating from the on-site storage and usage of POL products; total metals <br />(e.g., cadmium, chromium, lead, and silver) originating from used oils or other mining <br />operations; along with sediment and turbidity. Water resources potentially impacted by Pit <br />operations include surface water and groundwater. The greatest risk to these water <br />resources would be a sizable POL release at the Pit, with potential pathways as groundwater <br />infiltration and overland flow to nearby surface waters. Fortunately, these pathways are <br />protected through: <br />? The use of controls and spill prevention/response methods (i.e., maintenance of site <br />security, containment of POL, fueling of equipment only in designated areas, <br />adherence to spill control procedures); <br />? Berms surrounding AST locations and around routes of travel (roadways) within the <br />Pit; <br />? Containment of concrete washout; <br />? Erosion prevention and sediment control measures; <br />? Site monitoring programs; and <br />? Employee training and awareness programs. <br />All of these BMPs and engineering controls (as described previously in Section 2.0) have <br />been implemented at Elam's Pit in order to prevent or minimize POL, or other potential <br />environmental contaminants, from entering surface water or groundwater pathways. Beyond <br />the permitted boundary of Elam's mining operation, there are myriad sources of <br />Vagneur Pit- WRPP 10 September 1, 2006