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Page 3 of II <br />Mr. Jared Ebert <br />January 20, 2010 <br />8. According to Page D2 of the mining plan, it states dewatering water will be <br />discharged either into the Cache la Poudre River, the cottonwood gallery adjacent to <br />the river, and or wetlands adjacent to active mining areas. However, on the mining <br />plan map (4), there are several dewatering discharge points along Weld County Road <br />25; it is unclear what the water will be discharging into. Please clarify. <br />These discharge points show that the water will be discharged into an existing <br />irrigation lateral; during mining this lateral will not be used for irrigation, it will just <br />be used for dewatering. Therefore, we have updated page D2 to clarify that water <br />may also be discharged into existing irrigation laterals. <br />6.4.5 EXHIBIT E - Reclamation Plan <br />9. According to E-5, the Operator will spread 6-12" of topsoil where it is required. <br />Given the reclamation plan calls for the creation of eight open water ponds and <br />sediment basin wetlands, there should be excess topsoil available for reclamation. <br />Please commit to spreading at least 10-12" of topsoil over the designated areas. <br />The operator will spread a minimum of 10" to 12" of topsoil during reclamation of <br />the designated areas. <br />10. Please commit to re-spreading all the topsoil over the required areas salvaged during <br />the mining operation. All topsoil available at the site must be salvaged and re-spread <br />for reclamation. <br />The operator will commit to reserving sufficient topsoil for each phase to spread a <br />minimum depth of 10" to 12" of topsoil on all disturbed areas during reclamation of <br />designated areas. No topsoil will be placed within silt-basin wetland areas except in <br />sloped areas above the finished elevation of the silts. <br />11. Page E-3 of the reclamation plan indicates how the mine slopes around the ground <br />water ponds will be graded, however it does not indicate what the horizontal to <br />vertical ratio will be for the reclaimed pit slopes for the "upland" and "wetland" <br />areas. Please indicate how the side slopes will be graded for the "upland" areas and <br />the "wetland" areas. <br />Side slopes in upland areas vary by phase to accomplish the specific goals of the <br />reclamation plan, however the maximum slope in these areas will be 3:1. Wetland <br />slopes will also vary by phase and location within the properties. Specific grading <br />for each area is illustrated on Exhibit F. Maximum slopes within wetland areas will <br />be 3:1. <br />12. The mining plan indicates the existing groundwater level is 5-15 feet below the <br />natural ground level. Many of the reclaimed "upland" pit floors are about 20-25 feet <br />below the pre-mining elevation. Given the bottom of these upland basins will be <br />below the reported groundwater level, it would appear these excavations would <br />become groundwater ponds, not upland areas. Please clarify. <br />"Overflow " culverts and channels will be installed within each phase to set the <br />maximum depth of water within each reclaimed area. See Exhibit F for the locations <br />of the pipes. The current specification calls for 18" culverts. The culverts have been <br />sized based on ease of maintenance, ground water data gathered to date, and our