Laserfiche WebLink
April 2, 2012 <br />Dear Ms. Morgan, <br />5731 Highway 13 <br />Meeker, Colorado 81641 <br />970 - 824 -1500 <br />Chip Brown, Environmental Engineer 970 - 824 -1573 <br />O s' <br />' L' 4 '0, <br />c\ rd6' <br />0 40 <br />RE: Elevated Levels at Outfall 004A and Outfall 007A, Colowyo Coal Company L.P. (Colowyo) CDPS <br />Permit No. CO- 0045161. Request for Waiver of Primary Quality Standards and Utilization of Alternate <br />Limitations due to Snowmelt. <br />Ms. Kelly Morgan <br />Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment <br />Water Quality Control Division <br />4300 Cherry Creek Drive South <br />Denver, CO 80222 -1530 <br />Per the phone message I left you on April 2, 2012, this letter is to inform you in writing of elevated levels <br />of effluent standards for the month of March 2012. Colowyo sampled Outfalls 004A and 007A on March <br />14, 2012 and laboratory analysis was received on March 27, 2012. The results of the analyses indicated <br />that both Outfalls exceeded the 35.0 mg /L 30 -Day Maximum Concentration Average for Total <br />Suspended Solids and the 1.00 mg /L 30 -Day Maximum Concentration Average for Total Recoverable <br />Iron. Results for Outfall 004A are 212 mg /L for Total Suspended Solids and 6.66 mg /L for Total <br />Recoverable Iron. Results for Outfall 007A are 124 mg /L for Total Suspended Solids and 6.89 mg /L for <br />Total Recoverable Iron. Settleable Solids limitations were not exceeded at either outfall during this <br />event. <br />The samples were retested to ensure that the first results were correct. The reruns showed results that <br />coincided with the original results. Pursuant to Permit Number CO- 0045161, Section A.1, under <br />Alternate Limitations, "Any discharge or increase in the volume of a discharge caused by precipitation <br />within any 24 -hour period less than or equal to the 10 -year, 24 -hour precipitation event (or snowmelt of <br />equivalent volume) may comply with the following limitations subject to burden of proof requirements <br />described in Part I.A.3." Colowyo did not receive measurable precipitation 48 hours prior to sampling, <br />however warm weather and sunshine have created snowmelt and runoff of accumulated snowpack in <br />the vicinity of the outfalls. Please see the attached climatological data, sample analysis reports and <br />pictures taken on March 14, 2012 for additional information. <br />Colowyo's historical laboratory analysis data does not show a trend toward any type of elevated levels <br />at these outfalls. The elevated levels Colowyo does experience are associated with either a precipitation <br />