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WCRC Minutes January 7, 2004 Intro of members: Leigh Ann Vradenburg, Watershed Coordinator; Zeke Ward, Chairman WCRC; Jim Matush, Creede; Jeff Graves, CDMG; JB Alexander, Creede; Chuck Barnes, Creede; Mark Walker, CDPHE; Jim Herron, CDMG; Don Dustin, Creede Approval of minutes: Motion to approve the December minutes made by JB Alexander; second made by Jim Herron. Motion carried. Additions/corrections to the agenda: A discussion of creek debris burning was added as Old Business 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 said that she had presented a draft of the WCRC’s 2004 319 proposal at the Non Point Source Mining Subcommittee meeting on December 16th. Jim Herron noted that Leigh Ann’s presentation was well received. Leigh Ann indicated that she would be turning in the complete 319 application at the end of January. Leigh Ann showed the Committee the plaque that they had received as a Finalist for the El Pomar Awards for Excellence program. She said that they also received a check for $5,000. Mark Walker asked how the money could be used. Leigh Ann said that it was intended for operational support. Zeke mentioned that pursuant to the WCRC’s investigation of setting up an analytical laboratory, EBay might be a source of used equipment at a fraction of the cost. Zeke suggested that a wish list be created so that we will know what to look for. Motion for a subcommittee to look into lab equipping and present a wish list to the WCRC made by Chuck Barnes; second made by JB Alexander. Motion carried. Suggested subcommittee members include JB Alexander, Jim Matush, Don Dustin, Zeke Ward, and Leigh Ann Vradenburg. Leigh Ann said that she would be submitting an application to the Acorn Foundation for funding general operating costs. This will include Coordinator salary and overhead costs for the office. Leigh Ann said that aside from the current projects and grant applications, her primary focus the remainder of this winter would be researching additional sources for Coordinator salary. She said that there is currently about 6 months of funding planned, and that she would like to identify or secure funding for the remainder of the year. Zeke said that it would be a good idea if Leigh Ann created a calendar for the website so that everyone could keep apprised of upcoming events and deadlines. Old Business: MSHA Training:
Leigh Ann reminded the Committee that the 8-hour refresher course for
MSHA certification would be held January 30th starting around 8:00am.
She said that committed attendees so far were Henry Brink and Bob Kirkham.
Zeke requested that she ask the teacher for a copy of the PBS tape on the
Ludlow Massacre that was shown at last year’s class.
Jim Herron suggested that Leigh Ann talk with Loretta from CDMG if the
teacher was unable to provide a tape copy. Zeke,
JB, and Jim Matush committed to attending the class.
Leigh Ann will contact Stephen Wardell, Ken Wyley, Jerry Wintz, the Lake
Fork group, the Animas group, and Carol Russell (EPA) to notify them of the
class. Jim Herron will check on Ken
and Jerry being “grandfathered-in” for MSHA certification. 319 grant draft:
Leigh Ann said that she was working on a draft of the 319 proposal.
She will send out a draft later in January and she asked that the
Committee members provide review. Underground
update:
Jim Herron noted that during their recent investigations they had
discovered blasting caps and loaded holes in the Del Monte Raise.
They were looking at the Del Monte as a prime spot for dewatering the
Nelson. Herron said the Al Amundson
from CDMG could take care of the explosives in the near future.
Zeke said that we should put up Keep Out signs, and that Ken and Jerry
could do that for us. Herron and
Jeff will handle the arrangements for disposing of or destroying the explosives.
On January 6th, Jeff and Jim Herron reset the spads at the Del
Monte, resurveyed the Bachelor, and put a new spad at the Hospital Decline.
Jeff noted that there was a two-foot drop in the water level at the
Berkshire during the last year. Jim
said that they measured more flow at the Bachelor that the outside Nelson Adit
flume showed. Jim said that he and
Jeff would present a report to the Committee in March or April on options for
dewatering the Nelson. The two main
sites for dewatering being considered are the Del Monte and the Berkshire.
Zeke asked what would happen if they dewatered at the Del Monte and the
water did not go down at the Berkshire. He
also asked what we are hoping to accomplish while the Nelson is dewatered.
Jim said that those items would be covered in the report.
Zeke also asked if it were possible to create a manageable portal to the
Nelson. Jim said that there is no
feasible way to re-open the Nelson portal.
Jim said that the report would also cover the possibility of a blow out
when dewatering ceases. A
preventative measure will likely include a concrete blowout seal with a
discharge pipe that is installed in the hard rock adjacent to the tunnel.
The report will also discuss putting the generator at 4 Station and
exhausting out of the 5 Raise. Bill
Yorkshire (CDMG), who went underground with Jim and Jeff, thought that it was a
feasible plan. Jim said that we
would have to treat the water no matter what method of dewatering we use.
He said that an outside treatment pond would have to be one acre to get
the residence time needed for settling out the metals.
Additionally, we would have to dispose of the sludge from the pond
bottom. An alternative would be
treating and temporarily storing the water in the West Drift.
This option removes the need for sludge disposal and extensive
construction. Flocculants and other
chemicals would be needed to remove the metals within the residence time.
Jim suggested that we have Ken and Jerry clean out the West Drift and
build 2 or 3 bulk heads when weather allows.
Zeke asked if the West Drift made water.
Jim said no. Zeke suggested
that we catch some water samples to do bench tests to find out how much chemical
addition would be necessary to meet the water quality requirements in the
effluent. Motion for Ken and Jerry
to 1) muck out the West Drift, and 2) build up to 3 bulkheads in the West Drift
made by Jim Herron; second made by JB Alexander.
Motion carried. Mark asked if
we should start working on a permit. Jim
said that it would be a good idea. Leigh
Ann noted that we currently have $41,844 in the underground budget.
Zeke asked that Jim provide the plans, specifications, and timeline to
Ken and Jerry. Jim noted that a pipe
from the West Drift to the portal would be 5,807’. Trash burning:
Leigh Ann said that she would discuss the burning with Danny Rodgers from
the County. Zeke said that the
volunteer fire department meets Wednesdays at 7:00. New Business: Fairgrounds Voluntary Clean Up Plan: Mark said that the $7,000 that the Mineral County Fairgrounds Association (Mineral County Fairgrounds Association) was awarded from the CDPHE would be coming next week. That money was for hiring URS Corporation to prepare the VCUP and for Leigh Ann’s management of the application process. Mark suggested that any money left over be used for additional sampling. Zeke suggested that we use XRF. Leigh Ann said that she would check into local sources for those types of services. Mark suggested that we could also find out how leachable the metals were by a method such as SPLP. Zeke asked if we should collect samples on a grid or randomly. Mark said that we could collect three samples based on the XRF data to represent low, medium, and high levels. Mark said that the MCFA also needed to firm up the proposed land use. They could use a cut and fill diagram with the proposed build-out to indicate their plans. Zeke said that the adjacent trailer park will be doing some excavation work and that they are looking for a place to put their excavated material. Leigh Ann suggested that the MCFA get the material if possible because they could use it in reclamation. One idea would be putting it in a location so that re-handling would be minimal. Mark said that one concern would be that, down the road, where is the proof that the site is not a source to groundwater. He said that the VCUP needs to have performance standards such as vegetation establishment and soil stabilization. Zeke asked if part of the funding for additional sampling could be provided by the WCRC. Leigh Ann said that there was funding available in the budget for sediment sampling. Zeke suggested that we decide on a number of sites and get a cost estimate before the next meeting. He said that we should also consider sampling the soil at the Creede Mill site. Motion for the TAC to identify sites for soil sampling made by Mark; second made by Jim Herron. Motion carried. Chuck said that Jeff Stern from the San Luis Valley had taken samples at the Mill. Leigh Ann will contact Bob Tridle (Hecla) to see if they have any data, and Les Dobson to check on the use of Forest Service funds. Leigh Ann will also send typos to URS for the VCUP. Mark said the MCFA, WCRC, and CDPHE could hash out the other details. Mark asked what a reasonable timeline for resolving the MCFA issues would be. Zeke said that the cut and fill plan would take the longest, but he thought that they could have it by the February meeting. Rio Grande Water Conservation Board request:
Leigh Ann will be giving a presentation to the RGWCB on January 20th.
She will update them on the WCRC’s accomplishments and plans for 2004.
She will also ask for funding for Coordinator salary.
The current plan is to ask for $16,000. Other: The next meeting will be February 4, 2004. Meeting Adjourned 3:52 PM Respectfully Submitted, Leigh Ann Vradenburg |