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Home My WebLink AboutNEW ERA MINE, BUTTE COUNTY_ • ,�°''\ EDMUND G- UkOwN 1n. OOVEnNOn AlIF01N1A—RESOURCES A01140` ) CAI. RNIA' REGIONAL' WATER .QUALITY 'CONTROL ..BOARD' CENTRAL 'VALLEY REGION :- 0201 S STREET .�.. SACRAMENTO; CALIFORNIA 93816'...1 PHONE, (916) 443-0270 ' .. .. _ ... Buffo Co. 71araling i.miLloi. 9 Ap r i 1 1982 APR 14.1982 0ro4il16, Coliforne4 Mr. Russell Logan :10181:Lott Road Durham'; CA 95.938 NEW.ERA MINE, BUTTE COUNTY The report of waste discharge for your proposed:placer'mining operation .' ' has been. reviewed and the site has.been inspected. A copy of.the report of waste-disch'ar`ge additional' information needs (Attachment A) and the inspection .report is attached.' Please provide the additional information needs outlined in Attachment'A to this .office before you increase your operation to 20 cubic yards/day. When all f the additional information is submitted,,waste discharge re- quirements owill be drafted and circulated to interested parties for com- ments, before being considered by the Regional Board at --a public hearing. A technical report will. -be -required when you propose to increase your mining activity to Phase II & III. Information needed for the technical reports will be similar to that outlined in Attachment A. If there are any questions,'please contact me at (916•).322-1592. ANTHONY J. LANDIS, P.E. Area Engineer AJL/cis 'Attachments *.. cc: Butte County Planning Dept: 1' 146 DISCHARGER: NEW ERA MINE 9 April. 1982 LOCATION R COUNTY: PARADISE, BUTTE COUNTY.. INSPECTION DATE: 12 March 1982. INSPECTED BY:-! A. J. Landis. ACCOMPANIED BY: Ronald Logan, Owner and. Operator Steve Streeter; Butte County Planning Department Ken Cole, Division of Mines and.Geology OBSERVATIONS AND COMMENTS: 1. The mine property consists of.15 acres bordering'Dry Creek in a steep canyon below .Para�ii se." ' The property only extends 500' feet up the 10 to 30% s'lo* 6� froim.rry Creek; 'so: all mining 'activity would be close to the creek, •2. .Numerous springs we're seeping out.of the hillside. All 'tunnel`s and holes: along the hillside :were full of water. . Various''types of marsh -grasses were observed around .the springs: 3. Small scale mining with a gravel washing.operati.on and a recycle:pond has been going on for the last few years. Placer gravels have been dug out of old existing mine shafts in an ancient river channel that runs east and west through the property. Fish and Game Wardens have been regulating the operation with stream bed alteration agreements for the past few years. 4. Mr. Logan proposes to open pit mine the entire property in a three phase operation of 20, 40 and 80 cubic yards/day. �. I said -we did -not -object to: the proposal; provided all muddy. water is contained on-site, This will, however, be very difficult to achieve because of the closeness of Dry Creek, the extensive hillside spring _activity and the steep topography. 6. Mr. Logan agreed that he .would only process up to 20 cubic yards/day (Phase I operation) for the next few years, until he can's . olvdthe mine's.muddy water containment problems. 7. Downstream landowners are concerned that the full scale open pit mining operation may effect their hillside springs. The county will have Mr. Logan hire a hydrogeologist.to investigate these concerns. 147 8. Waste discharge requirements should be drafted for all three phases of the operation. A technical report could -be required when Mr. Logan wishes to increase the mining activity. - 9 The County is considering requiring,a performance bond. I agreed that a performance bond would be appropriate considering the potential problems with the site. INSPECTION SUMMARY: The proposed mining operation has potential water quality problems, because •. it is close to a creek in steep terrain with extensive.spring activity. Mr. Logan will.work on a small scale until he is sure all muddy water can con- sistently be contained on-site. - c ANTHONY J. LANDIS, P.E. Area Engineer AJL/cis _•��wi�'.+�.«....a�..v<�a+3-h�:ca:'•et":1.^•is�a�jio;�.if'�,;'N�'.qiw%':_:M+..+.ii•i'.rs.y..�w��;:.,.;. - .. _.�...:. .. .. � ... �. AML REPORT ..OF WASTE. DISCHARGE: ADDITIONAL.INFORMATION NEEDS NEW -ERA MIS BUTTE COUNTY ATTACHMENT`A - 1. Washwater recycle ponds a. size of ponds based on washwater flow, rainfall and spring infiltration - (two foot freeborad required). b. location of ponds including discussion of slope, flood a potential, surface -drainage and spring infiltration. C,sediment cleanout and disposal plan. £. 2. 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