Statement can be attributed to Daniele Treves:
Colorado Stone Quarries, Inc. already has a water monitoring program for the quarry. Its consultant,
HRL Compliance Solutions, Inc., has been monitoring water quality at three locations on Yule Creek
downstream from the quarry (including at the confluence of Yule Creek to the Crystal River), among
other onsite locations, on a monthly basis beginning in October 2019. All parameters analyzed (e.g.,
total volatile petroleum hydrocarbons (TVPH - GRO) and total extractable petroleum hydrocarbons
(TEPH-DRO) have consistently been reported as non-detectable (ND). The results of those sampling
efforts have been routinely provided to the DRMS. If there are no impacts to Yule Creek, there would be
no impacts to Crystal River from the mine.
CSQ also has recently installed groundwater monitoring wells at the quarry. CSQ’s diversion of the Yule
Creek simply redirected a portion of the creek from its then-present western channel to a historical
channel approximately 200 feet to the east. The western channel contained various mining materials
(e.g., marble blocks) from historical mining activities, likely dating back to the mine’s first opening in
1886. In diverting the channel, CSQ placed marble blocks of various sizes to enhance the eastern
channel by creating porous weirs that are intended to create step pools that encourage fine sediment to
settle. Those activities will be addressed in more detail in the forthcoming Section 404 permit
application to be submitted to the Army Corps of Engineers.