2011-08-08_INSPECTION - M1976009HR

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37 East Colorado Avenue • Denver, Colorado 80210 -3105 • (303) 906 -8096 August 8, 2011 Berhan Keffelew Division of Reclamation, Mining and Safety Room 215 1313 Sherman Street Denver, CO 80203 X Menzer Quarry corrective action completion report. 1976 -009 -HR Dear Mr. Keffelew: Mark A. Heifner Included are two copies of the completion report for the corrective actions taken for the small spill beyond the affected land boundary at the Menzer Quarry. All that is left is the seeding of a bench created on the west side of the stream channel that is described in this report. As the drought is continuing in this area and soil moisture reserves remain depleted or very low, seeding prior to moisture improving would be pointless. Hopefully, moisture will improve soon, but as we are now at the tail end of the annual monsoon the chances of receiving sufficient moisture to soak the soil deep enough is increasingly unlikely. That said, a couple of very good drenching rains might be sufficient. The stream remains completely dry. Some rain has improved moisture in the surface soils, but deep soils continue to be abnormally dry. Seeding may need to be delayed until late fall and hope for better snowfall this winter than last. Also, action still needs to be taken to include this feature in the permit A copy of the letter sent to yourself on July 25, 2008, is included in this report. We are still awaiting further clarification of what action needs to be taken. We can submit a technical revision quickly if that is what you desire. An amendment is a different matter. We do not agree with the position that an amendment is appropriate. The actual disturbance is only about 6,000 square feet which is approximately 0.09% of the total affected land. No water was ever affected by the spillage and the site has been fully corrected and is ready to receive stream flow. Please respond to our request for clarification of what is required. In my opinion, the work performed has been done extremely well. It may not be prefect in all respects, but in many ways the condition now is better for a free flowing stream than was the case in the rock filled channel that existed prior to the spillage. Sufficient rock was left in the bed to armor the stream bed thoroughly without creating a problem with blockage of the stream. The stream is now less blocked, has less tendency to back up water, and is more likely to stay in its stream bed for the foreseeable future. Major flooding might alter that future path however, as has happened in the past. Furthermore, the undercutting of the scree slope on the west side of the stream bed has been removed thereby reducing the chances of natural rock slides into the stream as a result of undercutting the slope and the possible damming of the stream. It was also found that the toe of the scree slope was a mass of loose rock that extended back into the bank as much as 35 feet. That was removed and a well elevated bench created that is backed by solid rock rather than 35 feet of loose slide rock at the base of the slope. The bench is nearly level and should provide an excellent habitat for stream side woody plants such as willow, narrow -leaf cottonwood, and chokecherry as well as the pines, spruces and firs that are locally abundant. A grass cover resulting from seeding will help create an environment suitable for the woody species to invade. It appears the stream, at one time, flowed in a broad turn similar to the current turn but extended about 30 to 35 feet further west. In other words, the natural slide rock fill buried an old meander that was being re- excavated by the stream. If you have any questions after reviewing this report, please call. RECEIVED AUG 082011 Division of Reclamation, 1.) Mining & Safety y _ Respectfully, Mark A. Heifner fi' rl4 F a ! P44 r i ///