_INSPECTION - C1981019 (57) - Laserfiche WebLink

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Colowyo C-1981-019 18 August 2009 Pg 5/9 Hydrologic Balance (cont.): - The final 1,000 feet of the Streeter Gulch Ditch was walked on the inspection. This is the riprapped portion of the ditch that runs along the north side of the Streeter Fill. The ditch was stable at the time of the inspection and no erosional problems or undercutting or side-cutting of the riprap was seen. - Sump 2 contained water and sediment to a level six inches below the top and was not discharging. The sump was stable at the time of the inspection. - Sump 3 was dry and contained sediment 1-1/2 feet from the top. The sump will need to. be cleaned. The sump was stable at the time of the inspection. - Sump 4 contained some water and sediment six inches below the top and was not discharging. The sump was stable at the time of the inspection. - Sump 5 was full but not discharging. The sump was stable at the time of the inspection. - The above referenced sumps are BMP's for drainage off of and under the main haul road. Backfilling and Grading: - Colowyo was working on the 2009 reclamation block in the East Pit at the time of the inspection. This area encompasses approximately 34 acres (see Map 29 - Spoil Grading). The area is the lower-most portion of the Prospect drainage and is a strip approximately 250-1,000 feet wide and 4,000 feet long. The area they are working on is split by the lower-most portion of the Prospect Ditch and includes the lower-most portions of the North Tributary, East Pit Ditch and the Final East Pit Ditch. Colowyo has completed the Backfilling and grading of the area north of the North Tributary, East Pit Ditch. The operator has cut contour ditches into the slope on the south side of the Prospect Ditch but still needs to cut the contour ditches into the south side of the ditch. Much of this regraded area has been topsoiled (see the topsoil section below for more details). The operator was actively working on the portion of the reclamation block south of the North Tributary, East Pit Ditch. The work they were completing includes bringing the area to final contour, cutting the contour ditches in and constructing the lower portions of the North Tributary, East Pit Ditch and the Final East Pit Ditch. They have stockpiled riprap along the top of the reclamation block for placement in the ditches. Colowyo is scheduled to reclaim approximately 36 acres of the lower East Pit area (just above the current area) next year (2010). *See pictures at the end of this inspection regarding the 2009 reclamation block* - The 2007 reclamation just to the north of the Prospect ditch has some remaining rills and some fairly deep and wide gullies (2-3 feet wide and 1-2 feet deep in many locations). Last month it was noted that these gullies had breached the contour ditches in several location. Colowyo will need to perform a survey of the rills and gullies and repair these gullies as needed. These larger gullies will only get deeper and wider with the rains and snowmelt next spring and will continue breach the contour ditches and cause problems farther down in the watershed. Colowyo did repair the contour ditches that were breached but, as mentioned above, they will breach again during a large rain storm or next spring during the snowmelt and runoff. *See the pictures at the end of this report for the gullies in the reclamation and the repaired contour ditches.