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PERMIT #: M-1984-154 <br />INSPECTOR'S INITIALS: JLE <br />INSPECTION DATE: January 24, 2011 <br />OBSERVATIONS <br />This was a full site release inspection of the Well Field Pit; DRMS File No. M-1984-154 operated by the City of <br />Lamar. This site is located 2 miles east of Lamar, Colorado in Prowers County. I, Jared Ebert of the Colorado <br />Division of Reclamation, Mining and Safety (Division) conducted the inspection. Mr. Wiley Work of the City of <br />Lamar accompanied me on the inspection. <br />This is a 9.848 acre 110c mining operation. The mine entrance sign was posted and the permit boundary was <br />marked with large white posts. This operation was conducted to expand an existing re-charge pond used by <br />the City of Lamar. The eastern half of the permit area connects to the recharge pond. The reclamation plan <br />for the western half of the site called for grading, topsoiling and revegetating the affected land for rangeland <br />use. <br />According to Mr. Work, mining is complete at the site and the area is currently used to facilitate the re-charge <br />operation. However, the site has not been reclaimed in accordance with the approved reclamation plan. <br />Mining created an irregular shoreline undulating in multiple directions with several excavated basins. <br />Generally, the various pit basins daylight to the east connecting the basins to the recharge pond. The side <br />slopes of the basins range from nearly vertical highwalls to 3:1 horizontal to vertical slopes. Some native <br />vegetation has begun to establish on these slopes, however many of the slopes are very steep and showing <br />signs of erosion. A large stockpile of topsoil is located at the northwest corner of the permit boundary. Grass <br />and annual weeds have established on the stockpile and it appears stable. Several other piles of earthen <br />material were located throughout the site. <br />The site has not been reclaimed in accordance with the reclamation plan. The stockpiles of material will need <br />to be removed or graded out, the pit slopes of the excavation will need to be graded to a 3:1 horizontal to <br />vertical ratio, topsoil will need to be spread where revegetation will occur. The Operator committed to <br />revegetating the portion of the permit area above the water line. Once topsoil has been spread, the affected <br />land above the waterline will need to be seeded with the grass seed mixture outlined in the reclamation plan. <br />Becasue the site has not been reclaimed to the specifications of the reclamation plan, the site release request <br />(SI 01) will be denied. The Operator indicated mining was complete in the annual report submitted in <br />November of 2010. In accordance with Rule 3.1.3, all reclamation shall be carried to completion by the <br />Operator with all reasonable diligence, and each phase of reclamation shall be completed within five years <br />from the date the Operator informs the Board or Office that such phase has commenced. Given this, the City <br />of Lamar has until November, 2015 to complete reclamation. <br />Page 2 of 4