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MINE ID # OR PROSPECTING ID#: M-1977-141 PAGE: 2 <br />INSPECTION DATE: 1-11-10 INSPECTOR'S INITIALS: ACS <br />OBSERVATIONS <br />This inspection was conducted to evaluate concerns raised in a letter <br />dated November 13, 2009 from a resident nearby the quarry. The letter <br />stated two concerns: 1) that runoff from the quarry is carrying large <br />amounts of sediment into South St. Vrain Creek, 2) the quarry is <br />inactive, but reclamation is not underway. <br />South St. Vrain Creek flows west to east along the north edge of the <br />land affected of the quarry. This north perimeter was inspected end to <br />end. A continuous earthen berm has been constructed between the quarry <br />and the creek along approximately the eastern one-third of the quarry. <br />There is little vegetation on this berm. The berm ties into a mature, <br />densely vegetated levee that extends to the west along north edge of <br />all but the extreme west end of the quarry. The berm and the levee <br />effectively prevent any runoff from the quarry from entering the creek, <br />but the creek side of the berm must be seeded and mulched. See PB-1 on <br />page four of this report. There is a sand and gravel stockpile to the <br />west of where the levee terminates; to prevent runoff from the <br />stockpile from entering the creek, a trench has been excavated around <br />the perimeter of the stockpile. <br />The access road to the quarry follows the creek to the east and turning <br />north to a bridge that connects to Highway 7. The access road is a <br />segment of the formerly public road known as Old St. Vrain Road. Along <br />most of the access road there is a wide heavily vegetated river flat <br />between the road and the creek. Near the access gate, there is a small <br />road fill slope adjacent to the creek that is bereft of vegetation. <br />This area must be seeded and mulched; see PB-1 on page four of this <br />report. <br />Virtually all of the runoff from the quarry wall flows onto the quarry <br />floor, which is sloped to a pond located at the east-central portion of <br />the quarry floor. The majority of the sediment carried by runoff from <br />the affected land reports to this pond. The quarry operator has <br />observed that runoff from the east access road to the upper quarry is <br />not flowing to the pond, but is flowing north and east and soaks into <br />the ground or is intercepted by the berm described above and then soaks <br />into the ground. The operator has scheduled a grading project for the <br />road to direct the runoff to the pond. The Division will require the <br />completion of this project; see PB-1 on page four of this report. <br />Based on observations made during this inspection, the Division has