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(Page 2) <br />MINE ID # OR PROSPECTING ID #: M-1284-036 <br />INSPECTION DATE: 3,42.3!1Q INSPECTOR=S INITIALS: MA(- <br />OBSERVATIONS <br />The inspection was conducted by Michael Cunningham of the Division of Reclamation, Mining and Safety <br />(Division). Chris Varra and Brad Janes of Varra Companies, Inc. were also present for the inspection. The <br />Dakolios Pit is located approximately 7 miles west of Platteville, Colorado. The site is permitted for 120 acres <br />and the post-mining land use is developed water resource. <br />The purpose of the inspection was to investigate a citizen complaint received by the Division on March 19, <br />2010. The complaint letter was submitted by Mr. Jerry Gould who owns the property immediately south of the <br />Dakolios Pit. Mr. Gould stated a natural drainage channel which flows through the permitted mine site had been <br />backfilled and rerouted into an alternate ditch which does not flow, resulting in the flooding of his property. The <br />drainage channel is a shallow swale which flows north through Mr. Gould's property and into the Dakolios Pit <br />where it connects to the St. Vrain Creek. The portion of the drainage channel located on Mr. Gould's property is <br />approximately 10 ft. wide and 2 ft. deep and receives stormwater runoff and tailwater from irrigated fields. <br />Prior to inspecting the Dakolios Pit, the Division inspected Mr. Gould's property; Ms. Melinda Wheeler was <br />present during the inspection. The drainage ditch was flowing at the time of the inspection and all flood water <br />had receded. The drainage ditch contained some cattails, but was otherwise free of obstructions. According to <br />Ms. Wheeler,. the vegetation within the drainage ditch is burned each year to minimize obstruction to the flow of <br />water. <br />Historically, the dimensions of the drainage ditch were the same on the Dakolios site as they are on Mr. Gould's <br />property. As indicated in the complaint letter, the Operator has backfilled and rerouted the drainage ditch. As the <br />water leaves Mr. Gould's property, it flows north under a haul road through a 12" corrugated metal pipe. When <br />the water reaches the north side of the haul road it empties into the reconstructed drainage ditch, which then <br />makes a 90 degree turn to the east. The water flows east into the northeast pit where it is allowed to drain into an <br />adjacent drainage ditch located on the east side of the permit boundary, which then empties into the St. Vrain <br />Creek. The reconstructed ditch is approximately 5 ft. deep and 12 ft. wide. The drainage ditch was free of <br />obstructions and was flowing during the inspection. The current dimensions of the drainage ditch are <br />substantially larger than the historic dimensions and are adequate to accommodate the normal flow regime of <br />the drainage ditch. <br />The Operator informed the Division there was a water main break at the intersection of Colorado Blvd. and <br />County Road 26, which is located upstream of Mr. Gould's property and the Dakolios Pit. The Division <br />confirmed with the Central Weld County Water District that a 36" water main had ruptured on the night of <br />March 17, 2010. The water entered into the drainage ditch and flowed north onto Mr. Gould's property. The <br />drainage ditch was not designed to handle flows of this magnitude and as a result Mr. Gould's property and <br />portions of the Dakolios Pit were flooded. <br />The drainage ditch was backfilled as a result of Technical Revision - 02 (TR-02), which allows for the <br />backfilling of the northeast pond. However, the backfilling and relocation of the drainage ditch were not <br />addressed in TR-02. Jared Ebert of the Division conducted a regular monitoring inspection of the Dakolios Pit <br />on January 20, 2010 and cited a problem for failure to perform reclamation as described in the Reclamation <br />Plan. As part of the prescribed corrective action, the Operator must submit a Technical Revision to the Division.