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~.=~ ~ • `''~~~°~~ III llllllllllllllll~ of `°~ 999 .<~' ~9 RICHARD D. LAMM FQ' Q Governor rn +~., O JERISA DANIELSON * . ~ ~ p * State Engrneer • r~' ,,,r~,~^' - ' X876 ~` OFFICE OF THE STATE ENGINEER DIVISION OF WATER RESOURCES 7313 Sherman Street-Room 878 Den (303) 866-35880203 ~~~~~~ Mr. Ted Shepard Adams County Planning Department 4955 East 74th Avenue Commerce City, CO 80022 Dear Mr. Shepard: November 20, 1985 NQV 2 21985 IHIN~p lAluO R C010.Osp~ pf NBfu el p@B U CB~ Re: Colorado Sand & Gravel Co., Sandy Acres & Pinewood Estates, 120-85-C, Sec. 25 & 26, T1S, R67W As requested, we have reviewed the above referenced application for an amended conditional use permit for a gravel mining operation. The application proposes to combine two previously permitted upon pit sand arld gravel mining operations (MLRD permits 81-159 and 80-110, Adams County Cases 101-81 and 52-80). In our comments on both of the above operations we did not recommend approval due to unanswered questions regarding augmentation for evaporation losses from the ground water lakes (wells) to be Created. This combined application states that two large lakes of approximately 23.9 acres and 16.85 acres in size are to be created on a total tract of 75.75 acres. In the new water information section of this amended application it is stated that no beneficial use is proposed for the lake area of the property and that the operation should have no affect on either shallow or deep ground water. We do not agree with this statement. The surface area of the lakes that will be formed in the mining process will be 40.75 acres. The amount of water lost annually to the South Platte River basin due to evaporation from this amount of water surface is 105 acre-feet. The portion of these losses which will occur during the irrigation season is equivalent to the amount of water needed to meet the irrigation needs of approxiately 49 acres of irrigated corn. We used the Modified B]aney-Griddle Formula to calculate this figure. Since the South Platte River is already over-appropriated, this will result in a significant loss of water to downstream irrigators. Since Colorado Sand and Gravel claims no beneficial use for the pit water, this evaporation from the surface area of the lakes created by mining would be considered a wasteful use of the ground water. If there is a wasterful use of water, our Division Engineer can order Colorado Sand and Gravel to cease operations in compliance with C.R.S. 37-92-502(2).