2013-02-08_REPORT - C1981019

• Permit No: C1981019
• IBM Index Class Name: Report
• Doc Date: 2/8/2013
• Doc Name: 2011 Annual Hydrology Report Review ‎(AHR)‎
• From: DRMS
• To: Colowyo Coal Company
• Annual Report Year: 2011
• Permit Index Doc Type: Hydrology Report
• Email Name: RDZ
• Email Name: DIH
• Media Type: D
• Archive: No

DIVISION OF RECLAMATION, MINING AND SAFETY
Department of Natural Resources
1313 Sherman St., Room 215
Denver, Colorado 80203
Phone: [phone]
FAX: [phone]
STATE OF COLORADO
COLORADO
ID IV I S I O N O F
RECLAMATION
MINING
SAFETY
Re: Colowyo Coal Company, Permit No. C -81 -019
Review of 2011 Annual Hydrology Report (AHR)
Dear Mr. Tennyson:
The Division received Colowyo's 2011 Annual Reclamation and Hydrology Report on March 9,
2012. The Annual Reclamation Report (ARR) portion will be reviewed and comments sent under
separate cover. The Division has reviewed Colowyo's 2011 AHR and has the following comments.
1. Please explain your surveys of sediment ponds. Are they actual surveys (using GPS or traditional
survey equipment), or are they estimates of pond capacities determined in some other way? If it
is the latter, please explain the method in the AHR and avoid using the word "survey' to describe
the activity.
2. Please explain gaps in data, including exhibits that have no data for certain drainages because of
no flow. Another example of a data gap is at New Good Spring Well; after 2002 there is no data
for Iron and other constituents.
A written interpretation of the data is requested by the Division, per Rule 4.05.13(4)(c)(110. This
was agreed upon during review of the 2009 AHR. This should include, but not be limited to, a
discussion on relatively high values of TSS and Iron (especially data collected in 2011), increases
in parameters at particular monitoring locations, and potential impacts on receiving waters,
namely Good Spring Creek and Taylor Creek, especially as discussed in the PHC of the Permit
Application Package.
4. The Division has the following observations regarding surface water data (no direct response is
required from Colowyo although these comments are related to comment number 3 above):
• Per the R values for surface water, there are no significant trends (increasing or decreasing)
in the data.
• In past years, high values have been reported in surface water for Iron (maximum of 132 mg /l
at LTC, 28 February 1990) and for TDS (maximum of 4050 mg /l at LGSC, 8 November
2000).
Office of Office of
Mined Land Reclamation Denver • Grand Junction • Durango Active and Inactive Mines
John W. Hickenlooper
Governor
Mike King
February 8, 2013
Executive Director
Loretta E. Pineda
Director
Tony Tennyson, Senior Engineer - Environmental
Colowyo Coal Company
5731 State Highway 13
Meeker, CO 81641
Re: Colowyo Coal Company, Permit No. C -81 -019
Review of 2011 Annual Hydrology Report (AHR)
Dear Mr. Tennyson:
The Division received Colowyo's 2011 Annual Reclamation and Hydrology Report on March 9,
2012. The Annual Reclamation Report (ARR) portion will be reviewed and comments sent under
separate cover. The Division has reviewed Colowyo's 2011 AHR and has the following comments.
1. Please explain your surveys of sediment ponds. Are they actual surveys (using GPS or traditional
survey equipment), or are they estimates of pond capacities determined in some other way? If it
is the latter, please explain the method in the AHR and avoid using the word "survey' to describe
the activity.
2. Please explain gaps in data, including exhibits that have no data for certain drainages because of
no flow. Another example of a data gap is at New Good Spring Well; after 2002 there is no data
for Iron and other constituents.
A written interpretation of the data is requested by the Division, per Rule 4.05.13(4)(c)(110. This
was agreed upon during review of the 2009 AHR. This should include, but not be limited to, a
discussion on relatively high values of TSS and Iron (especially data collected in 2011), increases
in parameters at particular monitoring locations, and potential impacts on receiving waters,
namely Good Spring Creek and Taylor Creek, especially as discussed in the PHC of the Permit
Application Package.
4. The Division has the following observations regarding surface water data (no direct response is
required from Colowyo although these comments are related to comment number 3 above):
• Per the R values for surface water, there are no significant trends (increasing or decreasing)
in the data.
• In past years, high values have been reported in surface water for Iron (maximum of 132 mg /l
at LTC, 28 February 1990) and for TDS (maximum of 4050 mg /l at LGSC, 8 November
2000).
Office of Office of
Mined Land Reclamation Denver • Grand Junction • Durango Active and Inactive Mines