_GENERAL DOCUMENTS - C1981017 ‎(310)‎

• Permit No: C1981017
• IBM Index Class Name: GENERAL DOCUMENTS
• Doc Name: Bid Documents ‎(IMP)‎
• Permit Index Doc Type: General Correspondence
• Media Type: D
• Archive: No

potential danger to human health and safety, and to the general
welfare of the surrounding community. In its present condition, a
person could be swept over the unprotected edge of the flume. The
end foundation of the flume appears to be weakened, raising the
specter of its failure. Further, the base of the flume is
periodically punctured, causing water to seep into the underlying
coal refuse, raising a potential failure scenario.
The probability of flume failure is great. Failure of the flume
will, at a minimum, result in increased sediment loading to Coal
Creek and to the Crystal River. This will be caused by erosion of
the adjacent coal refuse pile, and by erosion of the coal refuse
used to construct the facilities area pad over the alluvial fan.
Saturation of the adjacent refuse pile due to leakage from the
flume could lead to a mass failure of the refuse pile, causing a
dam to form in Coal Creek.
Failure of the flume could result in damming of the adjacent Coal
Creek. Damming of Coal Creek and an ensuing catastrophic failure
of the dam could pose a significant threat to the town of Redstone.
Coal Creek is confluent with the Crystal River at about the middle
of town. The main street in town is at or below the river
elevation at this point. Flooding due to damming of Coal Creek
and subsequent breaching could potentially impact Redstone.
The Division proposes to construct a new channel for Dutch Creek
which would emulate pre-mining conditions, thus eliminating the
need for the flume. Office of Surface Mining hydrologists have
designed a geomorphically stable channel as a replacement for the
flume. Colorado will utilize this design in its bid documents.
The estimated cost of completing the channel construction project
is $115,000.
OLD REFUSE PILE PROJECT
The Old Refuse Pile facility was constructed adjacent to Dutch
Creek. Portions of the Old Refuse Pile were constructed after
enactment of the Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act. One
such area is the western most portion of the facility. At this
location, the coal refuse is situated atop an estimated thirty five
feet tall cliff. The base of the cliff is immediately adjacent to
Dutch Creek. The upper portion of the cliff consists of
unconsolidated alluvial and colluvial material which has
experienced significant oversteepening. Every year the cliff face
retreats toward the coal refuse, threatening the refuse.
In its present condition, the cliff face poses a threat to human
health and safety, and to the general welfare of the surrounding
community. The upper portion of the cliff is so oversteepened that
overhangs of relatively unconsolidated material have developed.
People walking along the edge of the cliff are in danger of causing
a surficial cliff failure, possibly resulting in serious injury or
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