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OBSERVATIONS <br />PERMIT #: M- 1981 -302 <br />INSPECTOR'S INITIALS: MAC <br />INSPECTION DATE: August 7, 2012 <br />The inspection was conducted by Michael Cunningham of the Division of Reclamation, Mining and Safety <br />(Division). Jonathan Akins and David Laliberte were present on behalf of the Regents of the University of <br />Colorado and Mike Hart was present on behalf of Hart Environmental. The Deepe Farm Pit is located south of <br />Table Mesa Dr. and west of Highway 36; the site is a part of the University of Colorado campus. The site is <br />permitted for 178.9 acres and the post- mining land use is rangeland. <br />On June 20, 2012, the Division received a notification from the Operator that reclamation at the site was <br />complete; the notification contained a request for release from further reclamation responsibility. Pursuant to <br />Rule 4.17.2, the Division notified the owners of record of affected land, the Boulder County Commissioners <br />office, the Colorado Division of Water Resources and the Boulder Valley Conservation District of the request <br />for release. The Division received comments from Colorado Division of Water Resources (DWR) on July 6, <br />2012; the DWR did not object to the request for release. The purpose of the inspection was to verify that the <br />Operator had completed reclamation in accordance with the approved Reclamation Plan and the Construction <br />Materials Rules. <br />Hydrologic Balance: <br />As part of the approved Reclamation Plan, a perimeter levee was constructed around the south and east sides <br />of the site. The levee was designed to protect the area to the north from a one percent annual chance flood of <br />the South Boulder Creek. The design and final elevations of the levee were approved by the Division under <br />Technical Revision - 06 (TR06). As required by TR06, the Operator is required to inspect the levee annually and <br />submit a levee inspection report to the Division. The Division traversed the entire length of the levee during <br />this inspection. The access road on the top of the levee was in good condition. The vegetation on the pit -side <br />slope was well established and no signs of erosion or settling were observed. <br />Following the last inspection, the Operator submitted a Technical Revision to account for alterations to the <br />levee which had occurred over the past several years. The Division approved the Technical Revision No. 8 on <br />August 11, 2011. FEMA has designated the levee as a Provisionally Accredited Levee (PAL). A PAL is the <br />designation used for a levee system when FEMA has previously accredited the levee system on an effective <br />FIRM and FEMA is awaiting data and /or documentation that will demonstrate the levee system's compliance <br />with National Flood Insurance Program requirements. <br />Revegetation: <br />The Division noted during prior inspections that grasses were well established throughout the site. The grasses <br />continue to thrive and are clearly capable of self- regeneration without continued dependence on irrigation, <br />soil amendments or fertilizers. The Operator manages annual weed species through an Integrated Pest <br />Management (IPM) program. IPM techniques used by the Operator include grazing with cattle and goats, <br />chemical applications, and mechanical removal. <br />The Division inspected the former settling ponds which are located in the southernmost portion of the site, <br />immediately south of the perimeter levee. The settling ponds have been reclaimed as wetlands. The individual <br />wetland cells, which comprised the former settling ponds, did not have an observable amount of water at time <br />of the inspection. However, it was evident aquatic vegetation is present during periods when the area is <br />inundated with flood waters or when groundwater rises as a result of seasonal fluctuations. The wetland area <br />Page 2 of 3 <br />