WCRC Minutes

November 7, 2002

 

Intro of members: JB Alexander, Creede; Jim Matush, Creede; Bob Kirkham, Colorado Geological Survey; Jeff Graves, Colorado Div. Minerals and Geology; Jim Herron, Colorado Div. Minerals and Geology; Les Dobson, US Forest Service; Chuck Barnes, Creede; Leigh Ann Vradenburg, Watershed Coordinator; Zeke Ward, Chairman WCRC; Kelley Thompson, AgroEngineering; Jim Mietz, SLV RC&D; Joe Burkett, Creede..

 

Approval of minutes:  No corrections to the October minutes were suggested or submitted.  Motion to approve the October minutes was made by Chuck Barnes; second made by Kelley Thompson.  Motion carried. 

 

Additions/corrections to the agenda:  JB Alexander suggested that the Committee take an official position on the Highway 149 bypass; added as 7 D.

 

In-Kind:  Forms were provided in hard copy for volunteers to track time and other expenses.  Leigh Ann encouraged monthly submission of these forms so that records could be kept current.  

 

Coordinator’s report: 

 

Leigh Ann informed the Committee that she had displayed a poster and given a presentation at the Colorado NonPoint Source Forum at the end of October.  She brought back booklets from CO Division of Minerals and Geology that describe Best Management Practices at mine sites.  These booklets will be available at City Hall.  Leigh Ann also spoke with Bruce Stover, who had been involved with the underground work of the Committee in the past.  She said that Stover gave a presentation on mine reclamation alternatives, and that it might be beneficial for him to speak to the Committee.  She will contact him about coming to present.

 

Leigh Ann said that she had spoken with Andrew Ross, CDPHE, and that he was working on our TMDL.  He hopes to be able to make the December meeting.  Andrew will work with the data that we have given him regarding the zinc loading to the Rio Grande between the La Garita Bridge and the 4UR Bridge.

 

Eric Twitty will be sending final copies of the Holy Moses historic inventory.

 

The TCLP results are in from the final analyses on the Happy Thought and Last Chance samples.  These piles had higher levels of TCLP copper, cadmium, lead, and zinc than most of the other sites sampled.

 

The paperwork and final reports are due for the 104(b)(3) grant, which was for the underground work.  Leigh Ann will work with CDMG to finish out this grant.

 

 

Old business:

 

Well installation and sampling:  Leigh Ann informed the Committee that the US Army Corps of Engineers will be sampling their new wells on November 17th and 18th.  As per the Committee’s decision in October, the other wells in the floodplain will be sampled concurrently with the USACE wells for data comparability.  Leigh Ann asked for volunteers to help sample the URS and MFG wells.  Zeke added that Bob Tridle with Hecla selected the site for one of the wells at the toe of the Emperious Tailings Pile.

 

Watershed Initiative Grant:  Leigh Ann indicated that she had completed the proposal for the EPA Watershed Initiative Grant and would be submitting the final copy soon for the Governor’s review.  Joe Burkett asked what the role of Wason Ranch should be at this time.  Zeke said that at this point we want to let the engineers design the most hydrologically sound stream channel.  At some point in the future, we may ask for a re-design based on specifications.  Leigh Ann asked if anyone was able to help transfer the document into PDF.

 

Agro Final Report:  Kelley Thompson brought several hard copies and one CD of his final report for flood control.  Chuck Barnes asked if the Creede Historical Society could have one of the hard copies.  Zeke said that it had been a policy of the Committee to provide copies of reports to the Historical Society.  Joe Burkett asked if Wason Ranch could have three copies.  Zeke asked that everyone interested in copies of the report notify Leigh Ann by the December meeting.  Kelley asked how we plan to implement some of the projects.  Zeke indicated that we are currently completing the Final Characterization Report, of which the flood control is a part.  Implementation will be incorporated into the Integrated Watershed Management Plan by the end of April.

 

New Business

 

Underground sampling/air meter: Leigh Ann said that two crews would be going underground to sample water on Thursday, November 7th.  Those participating would be Jim Matush, Jim Herron, Jeff Graves, Les Dobson, Ken Wyley, Bob Kirkham, and Leigh Ann.  Leigh Ann notified the Committee that she was unable to find the air meter.  Zeke said that he believed Ken Wyley used it this summer when he was doing the renovations.  He was not sure if it was still in working order, but the Committee needed to make sure that they have a functioning meter.  Motion to re-supply WCRC with appropriate air meters made by Chuck Barnes; second made by JB Alexander.  Motion carried.

 

Aerial photo expenditure: Kelley Thompson brought paper copies and a CD copy of color aerial photos of the floodplain and surrounding area.  The photos are linked into GIS and have 28 centimeter resolution.  The charge for the photos is $500.  Motion to pay $500 for the GIS linked color aerial photos made by JB Alexander; second made by Joe Burkett.  Motion carried.  Leigh Ann will check into printing on a larger scale.

 

1-Stop shopping grant application: Leigh Ann asked the Committee if they should apply for the Consolidated Funding Process, formerly known as 1-Stop shopping.  Zeke indicated that this is the source for the Regional Geographic Initiative grant that we are going to use for underground work.  Potential projects for this grant process could be TMDL implementation and addressing the Emperious Tailings; however at this time we do not have a clear plan and should wait until the next time around.

 

Highway 149 bypass:  Zeke stated that we should discuss only those proposals for the highway bypass that include the floodplain.  He indicated that the WCRC would also like to be involved if acceleration and deceleration lanes were constructed because we could impound tailings under them.  JB Alexander stated that if future development of the floodplain included park space, no one would want to see a highway through the middle of it.  Zeke asked if anyone could see a benefit to a bipass.  The Committee wants to make the statement that we are concerned with safety and we are a friend to the Creede merchants.  Zeke said that we do not want to say we are against a bypass because if it is decided that safety is a concern, we will not stand in the way.  The position of the WCRC is that we are concerned and aware of safety concerns and sympathetic to merchants; we can identify no benefit of the bypass to the Willow Creek project; and we can identify negative impacts relative to a bypass from 149 to airport corner.  Joe Burkett suggested that we add that the WCRC believes there are other options and they should be considered to mitigate problems where Highway 149 turns on and off of 7th Street, and at Airport Corner.  Motion to accept the position stated by Zeke with the addition suggested by Joe made by JB Alexander; second made by Chuck Barnes. Motion carried.

 

Final Items:

 

Leigh Ann informed the Committee that she had just received the River Watch data.

 

The next meeting will be December 4th.

 

Meeting Adjourned 3:47 PM

 

Respectfully Submitted,

Leigh Ann Vradenburg