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Mr. Peter R. Foster, P.E.
<br />)6, Wright Water Engineers, Inc.
<br />1666 N. Main Avenue, Suite C
<br />Durango, Colorado 81301
<br />Dear Mr. Foster:
<br />SWSP OPERATIONS
<br />DEPARTMENT OF NATURAL RESOURCES
<br />DIVISION OF WATER RESOURCES
<br />December 6, 2012
<br />Approval Period: October 1, 2011 through September 30, 2013
<br />Contact Phone Number for Mr. Peter Foster. 970 - 259 -7411
<br />John W. Hickenlooper
<br />Governor
<br />Mike King
<br />Executive Director
<br />Dick Wolfe, P.E.
<br />REC EIVED irector /State Engineer
<br />DEC 072012
<br />Division of Reclamation,
<br />s Mining & Safety
<br />RE: Colona Gravel P, Substitute Water Supply Plan
<br />DRMS File No.r 94 -005
<br />SE' /4 Section 36, T48N, R9W, and NEY4 Section 1, T47N, R9W, New Mexico P.M.
<br />Water Division 4, Water District 41, Montrose County
<br />We have received your letter of July 29, 2011 requesting a renewal of the substitute water
<br />supply plan (SWSP) for United Companies' ( "Applicant ") Colona Gravel Pit Operation in accordance
<br />with § 37 -90- 137(11), C.R.S., for the period October 1, 2011 through September 30, 2012. In addition,
<br />we have received your letters of August 9, 2012 and October 23, 2012 requesting an extension of the
<br />plan renewal through September 30, 2013. The applicant shall be responsible for compliance with this
<br />plan, but the State Engineer's Office ( "SEO ") may also pursue the landowner for eventual compliance.
<br />The required fee of $257 for the renewal of this SWSP has been submitted (receipt no. 3651876).
<br />The Colona Gravel Pit Operation consists of a gravel mine that will be reclaimed as an unlined
<br />pond. Currently there are 6.8 acres of exposed ground water at the site, which is expected to remain
<br />unchanged during this plan period. Aggregate production at the site is estimated at 10,000 tons per
<br />month from October to March, or 60,000 tons total, for Year 1 of this plan period, and 5,000 tons per
<br />month from October to March, or 30,000 tons total, for Year 2. Product below the ground water table
<br />will be removed via "wet mining" techniques; thus, dewatering of the pit will not occur and is not
<br />approved herein.
<br />In accordance with the letter dated April 30, 2010 (copy attached) from the Colorado
<br />Division of Reclamation, Mining, and Safety ( "DRMS "), all sand and gravel mining operators
<br />must comply with the requirements of the Colorado Reclamation Act and the Mineral Rules and
<br />Regulations for the protection of water resources. The April 30, 2010 letter from DRMS requires
<br />that you provide information to DRMS to demonstrate you can replace long -term injurious
<br />stream depletions that result from mining related exposure of ground water. The DRMS letter
<br />identifies four approaches to satisfy this requirement. In accordance with approach no. 1, you
<br />have indicated that a bond has been obtained for $165,351.00 through the Division of
<br />Reclamation, Mining, and Safety ( "DRMS "). Additionally, in accordance with approach no. 4,
<br />you have provided an affidavit dated May 23, 2011 that dedicates 1.0 share of Ouray Ditch water
<br />as replacement water solely for this SWSP and for as long as there are depletions at this gravel
<br />pit site or until such time as another replacement source is obtained. A copy of the affidavit is
<br />Office of the State Engineer
<br />1313 Sherman Street, Suite 818 • Denver, CO 80203 • Phone: 303 - 866 -3581 • Fax: 303 -866 -3589
<br />www.water.state.co.us
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