1995-12-13_GENERAL DOCUMENTS - C1981017

Home Browse Search

SEP.29 '95 2:51PM DMG,GJCT 1 303 2410336 P.2 MEMO TO: Maggie Van Cleef FROM: Steven Renner RR: Dutch Creek Flume Maintenance Bid The maintenance work at the Dutch Creek Flume located at the Coal Basin Mine should be considered an emergency situation. There are two reasons why this should be considered an emergency. - The Flume has a number of holes in its base. It is assumed that water is leaking through these holes and into the surrounding soil materials. There is some potential of environmental degradation occurring as a result of contribution of water to the surrounding environment. - Mid-Continent Resources placed a 9 feet diameter steel culvert in the lower 180 feet of the flume. This steel culvert is causing rock to fall out of the stream flow, which causes Dutch Creek to back up within the Flume. There is a potential that the creek could overtop the Flume as a result of the culvert remaining in place within the Flume. The repairs need to be made during the October to early November time frame in order that a degree of assurance that the Spring runoff can be safely passed. The work needs to be accomplished during low water (the fall of the year) as the stream flow will need to be contained within the confines of the Flume as the work progresses. Therefore, stream f low needs to be as low as possible. Also, dramatic fluctuations in stream flora could cause the new concrete to be eroded out of the channel. Therefore, it is best to place the concrete when the threat of summer rains is minimal. The damage to the base of the Flume was not discovered until just two weeks ago. This is because the flow of Dutch Creek prior to that time was high enough that the holes were masked by the flow of the stream. It is my understanding that contractors believe that the cost of obtaining concrete and the cost of the demolition work involved in the removal of the steel culvert will probably exceed $10,000.