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6.4.21(9)(a) <br />The groundwater in this vicinity is unclassified, per the CO Division of Water Resources and is primarily considered <br />surface water recharge . <br />The poor, pre-existing quality of the groundwater in this mining district make it a poor choice for domestic water <br />wells ... usually an attempt at drilling a well come up "dry" because the district is drained by the Big 5 and Argo <br />Tunnels. Evidence of this is the limited existence of domestic groundwater well downgradient of our proposed <br />operation (see appendix of Exhibit C). Many residents in the vicinity of the operations and throughout the Russell <br />Gulch and Virginia Canyon region actually haul water to cisterns for domestic use. The City of Idaho Springs <br />constructed a water fill station at the west. end of town to service this sort of customer. Central City has also <br />constricted a similar station near Russell Gulch. <br />There is no agriculture to speak of in this area. Beside the fact the ground is steep, semi-arid, and barren the County <br />does not have any Agricultural Zoning in this region. <br />6.4.21(9)(b) <br />Baseline groundwater quality has been established by sampling the drainage from the Argo Tunnel. A sample of <br />this analysis is included in the appendix of Exhibit C. Argo Tunnel discharge water quality is carefully observed at <br />the Argo Tunnel Treatment Facility by the US EPA and the CDPHE. <br />6.4.21(10)(a)(i) <br />There are no Designated Chemicals to be used in this operation. <br />There are no hydrometallurgical or leaching processes proposed as part of this operation. <br />6.4.21(10)(a)(H) <br />The stormwater management design has been performed by a CO licensed professional engineer. See this design in <br />Exhibit C and Exhibit E. A SWMP permit has been applied for with the CO WQCD. <br />6.4.21(10)(a)(iii) <br />The stormwater management design has been performed by a CO licensed professional engineer. See this design in <br />Exhibit C and Exhibit E. A SWMP pen-nit has been applied for with the CO WQCD. <br />A Colorado Discharge Permit is not required because there is NO process water discharge to surface waters. <br />6.4.21(10)(b) <br />The stormwater management design has been performed by a CO licensed professional engineer. See this design in <br />Exhibit C and Exhibit E. A SWMP permit has been applied for with the CO WQCD. <br />6.4.21(11)(a) <br />North Clear Creek bears approx. 4.0 miles to the east and 1,800' in elevation below the affected area. Drainage <br />from this watershed area follows down Russell Gulch to North Clear Creek. Historically, the drainage from this <br />vicinity contains acid-runoff/drainage from the numerous abandoned mine waste rock piles and adits located <br />throughout this gulch. Most of these sources are not within the control of Venture Resources (ie other private <br />property owners). <br />A Colorado Discharge Permit is not required because there is NO process water discharge to surface waters. <br />Venture Resources believes that this operation results in a NET REDUCTION of acid-forming material from the <br />watershed by complete physical removal of pre-existing waste rock dumps. Because of this, a full study of the <br />impact to surface waters has not been included. Instead, provided here is a summary of the impacted Stream <br />segment on North Clear Creek to illustrate the potential for this project to benefit the situation. <br />The area of study looks at the surface water of North Clear Creek, within 4.0 miles of the proposed operation. This <br />Russell Gulch. watershed is within Sections 23 and 13 of Township 3 South, Range 73 West and Sections 19, 20 and <br />28 of Township 3 South, Range 72 West. The Colorado Water Quality Control Division (WQCD) has identified <br />Page 6 of I I