2011-03-28_REVISION - C1981012 - Laserfiche WebLink

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4 New Elk Mine TR-56 Page 2 March 29, 2011 initiation of dewatering activities. Should the applicant use water collected from the underground mine, or store it in a pond for later release, the use and/or storage of any ground water will be subject to administration by DWR, and would not be allowed under a dewatering well permit. In order to use water collected from dewatering activities, the applicant would have to apply for a non-exempt production well pursuant to CRS 37-90-137(2). Due to the over-appropriated status of the stream system in this location, any well permit applied for under CRS 37-90-137(2) that would allow consumptive use or evaporative loss of ground water will require a court-approved plan for augmentation or a substitute water supply plan issued through the SEO. Dust suppression is considered to be a consumptive use, and would therefore not be allowed under a permit issued pursuant to CRS 37-90-137(2) without a court-approved plan for augmentation or a substitute water supply plan. The following is general information regarding well permitting which the SEO finds may be pertinent to the applicant's proposed operation. All wells that are being used with the intent of accessing ground water ("water wells"), including wells used for the monitoring and observation of water quality/levels, are subject to the SEO's well permitting requirements. Exploration boreholes constructed/used for purposes other than accessing ground water do not require notice and/or permitting through the SEO; however these wells will require permits through the SEO if/when they are used to access ground water for monitoring or other purposes. Wells that are drilled as exploration boreholes under MLR and are later used for water monitoring wells are exempt from the Water Well Construction Rules, 2 CCR 402-2 (WWCR). This office recommends that operators, if they intend on using an exploratory bore hole as a water well at a later date, still follow the WWCR rules to allow maximum use of the well after mining operations have ceased. Conversion of an existing monitoring well or exploration borehole to a production well will require that the well be compliant with the WWCR's minimum standards for water well construction. All wells drilled to with the intent to use ground water are subject to the jurisdiction of the SEO and the Board of Examiners (BOE). Water wells must be constructed in accordance with the WWCR. Permitting types that may be applicable to your site, both now and/or in the future, include: 1) Monitoring Hole Notice: A notice provided to the SEO that water monitoring wells are going to be constructed within a specific quarter-quarter. The exact location/number of wells is not required nor is there a fee for this form. However, these wells must either be plugged and abandoned or permitted as monitoring wells within 1 year of construction. Wells constructed under Monitoring Hole Notices (MH Notices) cannot be converted to production wells at a later date. Wells drilled under an MH Notice must be constructed by an authorized individual as defined in the WWCR. Please read the MH Notice form for further details and requirements. 2) Monitoring Well Permit: A permit to monitor water quality/levels for an extended period of time. Though wells constructed under monitoring well permits (in accordance with the WWCR) can potentially be converted to production wells at a later date, wells constructed under MH Notices and converted to monitoring wells cannot. Please note that if you choose to convert an exploration borehole to a water monitoring well, it will, at the time of conversion, require a monitoring well permit through the SEO along with evidence that the well meets the minimum monitoring well construction standards as stated in the WWCR. The SEO recommends that, if you drill a well with, the intent of monitoring water quality/quantity levels for over 1 year, you obtain a monitoring well permit prior to