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C-1981-008 - PR-06 <br />Benson Irrigation <br />18-Aug-2010 <br />Page 2 of 2 <br />that had been used on that field were applied to a different field. This method allowed the shares <br />to be continually utilized and a greater number of acres to benefit from each share. <br />Mr. Benson owns 44 shares of water on the CCC Ditch. WFC leases these shares and, according <br />to Mr. Benson, has been using the water to irrigate various reclaimed areas located east of 2700 <br />Road, including the 80-acre San Miguel Power parcel that has been largely reclaimed to IP. <br />(SMPA does not have any shares of its own.) <br />The Division has previously noted that it is important that sufficient irrigation water be available <br />following bond release to support the approved post-mining land use. Given information from <br />the MRCS regarding the number of acres that can be successfully irrigated with a share of water, <br />WFC currently proposes that Benson's 44 shares be divided between his three parcels, as <br />follows: 12 shares to Benson-South, 20 to Benson-East, and 12 to Benson-West. Benson's <br />South and East fields have been irrigated by WFC using sideroll sprinklers, while a system of <br />gated pipe and furrows is planned for his West field. WFC calculates that the 12 shares allotted <br />to this field will successfully irrigate 12.4 acres. It is this reduction in irrigated acreage (12.4 as <br />compared with the -50 acres irrigated prior to mining) that'Mr. Benson finds to be objectionable. <br />It should be noted that although fewer acres are proposed to be irrigated throughout the liability <br />period, final grading and topsoil placement and preparation have been conducted in a manner <br />that would make irrigation of 45 to 50 acres feasible following final bond release. <br />In spite of his dissatisfaction with the amount of irrigated acreage proposed on Benson-West, Mr. <br />Benson does not want to see Western Fuels be prohibited from mining or from obtaining the <br />Division's approval of PR-06. He believes that the mine, and the employment it provides, is an <br />important part of the community. He also stated that he is not opposed to anything the Division <br />is doing in this process. <br />Mr. Benson did inquire about the status of bond release for the southeastern portion of the <br />permit, given that much of the area has been reclaimed for 13 or so years. I answered that WFC <br />did submit an application for SL-12 this past winter, and that the Benson-South parcel was <br />included in the Phase III portion of the application. The immediate needs of the PR-06 review <br />process have resulted in SL-12 being temporarily set aside by WFC and the Division, but work <br />on the bond release will resume in the near future. <br />cc: Bud Benson <br />David Berry, DRMS <br />Sandy Brown, DRMS <br />Western Fuels-Colorado