2009-02-19_REPORT - C1981033 - Laserfiche WebLink

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INTRODUCTION The 2006 Annual Hydrology Report for the Bear Coal Company, Inc., Bear No. 3 Mine is hereby submitted in accordance with the rules and regulations of the Division of Reclamation, Mining & Safety. The Bear No. 3 Mine is owned and operated by Bear Coal Company, Inc. The mine is located along the North Fork of the Gunnison River approximately one quarter mile east of Somerset, Colorado, along Colorado State Highway 133. The Bear No. 3 Mine ceased all coal production on November 13, 1996 and the portals were sealed in January 1997. During 1997 reclamation of the mine site was initiated. The stacking tube, reclaim tunnel and truck loadout bin were dismantled and removed from the site. The mine portals and mine access road were backfilled and seeded. The two warehouses, shop, substation and ventilation fan were dismantled and removed from the site. On November 17, 1997 the DMG was notified of a slide located immediately west of the reclaimed Bear No. 3 Mine portals. The slide became active on Saturday, November 15th. Debris from the slide flowed onto the old coal stockpile pad (west of the reclaimed stacking tube) and into the North Fork of the Gunnison River south of the mine access bridge. Shortly after the slide occurred, water started flowing from the east side of the slide scarp. A treatment pond was constructed during May and June 2001 in accordance the plan presented on Drawing 11-4 (rev. 9/23/99). The spring water is piped into the pond, passively treated and then discharged into the North Fork of the Gunnison River. Bear performed limited monitoring during the year because of financial restraints. Laboratory reports are enclosed. If only the name of a metal is on the report, the metal was analyzed for total. If a metal was analyzed for total recoverable or total dissolved, that designation is noted on the laboratory reports. Rev. 02/17/09 -1-