2011-01-14_PERMIT FILE - M2010049

• Permit No: M2010049
• IBM Index Class Name: PERMIT FILE
• Doc Date: 1/14/2011
• Doc Name: Adequacy Review-03
• From: DRMS
• To: Varra Companies, Inc.
• Email Name: MAC
• Media Type: D
• Archive: No

STATE OF COLORADO
DIVISION OF RECLAMATION, MINING AND SAFETY
Department of Natural Resources
1313 Sherman St., Room 215
Denver, Colorado 80203
Phone: [phone]
FAX: [phone]
To: Michael Cunningham
from: mate Plckford
CC: Steve Shuey
Date: 1/14/2011
COLORADO
D I V I S I ON OF
RECLAMATION
MINING
SAFETY
John W. Hickenlooper
Governor
Mike King
Executive Director
Loretta E. Pineda
Director
Re: Groundwater Review: Permit application M-2010-049, Western Sugar Reclamation Land
Development Project
Division staff has reviewed the groundwater portion of the preliminary adequacy responses to the
above permit application, and has the following concerns:
It is apparent from the models submitted in the preliminary adequacy responses, that the cone
of depression resulting from dewatering of the pits will include areas with domestic and
commercial wells. The applicant should include a list of wells, located within the estimated cone
of depression; supply the Division with a report indicating the potential impacts to these wells;
supply a plan to monitor the cone of depression to determine when impacts to these wells might
occur; and a plan to preemptively mitigate the possible impacts to these wells.
2. The applicant must have a mitigation plan for protection of wells and vegetation in place prior to
approval of the permit.
3. The submitted information also indicates that there are other potential impacts to depression of
the groundwater elevation, specifically with regard to vegetation in the area. It appears there
may be cottonwoods located adjacent to the river which would be impacted by the drawdown
from dewatering the pits. In that these trees are likely critical winter roosting habitat for raptors,
the applicant should submit information to the Division committing to measures to protect these
trees from the impacts of dewatering. Additionally, the applicant should submit information to
the Division regarding other areas that may be negatively impacted by drawdown of
groundwater, for example, any sub-irrigated pasture in the proposed cone of depression, and
measures it will take to mitigate these effects.
4. The application indicates that the resulting ponds may be lined. If so, the applicant must submit
data regarding the resulting mounding and shadow effects around the lined ponds, and the
mitigation measures that it will take to correct these effects if it will result in impacts to
surrounding land, vegetation, and structures.
Office of Office of
Mined Land Reclamation Denver • Grand Junction • Durango Active and Inactive Mines