September 23-29, 2024

EPA’s Response Team finished regrading the waste pile’s west and east slopes. The west slopes were reconfigured to accommodate construction of several stormwater control features including two broad slope breaks with water bars, a rocked drainage ditch at the base of the slope itself and several compacted berms to control runoff. An existing run-on control ditch upgradient of the waste pile was also improved to account for debris flows from the mountain above.

The eastern slopes of the waste pile were also regraded to establish a wide corridor for the eventual construction of a new adit discharge channel in 2025.

The Team completed construction of a stout, 7ft tall armored berm outside the adit to direct high adit discharges to the east and away from the center of the waste pile.

The Team continued to collect and stockpile rock for the construction of a new adit discharge channel as well as other stormwater run-off controls in 2025.

Finally, the Team installed straw waddles in key locations to control erosion, used rocks to block vehicular access to the Site, and demobilized from the Site for the 2024-25 winter season. EPA plans to restart operations in late June or early July 2025 depending on snow conditions.

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September 16-22, 2024

EPA’s Response Team installed a large rock water crossing (6-feet deep by 12-feet wide) to carry stormwater and snow melt across CR273 and off the Site. The crossing was placed where the abandoned facility was built to drain. An historic wooden drainage channel was carefully exposed and documented before being removed. See images on the website.

A rocked pool was constructed upgradient of the new crossing to slow water velocity and an open channel was excavated above this pool to collect water from the waste pile. Future stormwater control ditches will be constructed to feed this channel in 2025. Straw waddles were installed in the open channel to capture sediment until it can be lined and rocked in 2025.

The waste pile west of the historic ore bin was regraded to promote drainage and a berm was constructed along the west perimeter of the Site to push runoff towards the water crossing. The Team also began re-grading the waste pile east of the historic ore bin to make room for construction of a future drainage channel to control the adit discharge and carry it off Site. The historic run-on control ditch above the mine was also reconfigured and improved to account for natural debris flows from the mountain above.

Historic artifacts uncovered as the waste pile was regraded were documented and added to the mining debris on top of the waste pile. Soft artifacts were placed in bags and will be released to the property owner. See images on the website.

The Saints John Mine adit blew out several years ago when an ice dam formed inside the mine during a winter of unusually heavy snowfall. EPA met with a nearby property owner who witnessed this blow out and was able to describe the force of the release and subsequent flooding event. EPA’s Response Team began construction of a stout, armored berm outside the adit to direct any future high adit discharges to the east away from the center of the waste pile.

The Team continued to collect and stockpile rock for future construction of drainage ditches and stormwater control channels in 2025.

EPA met with officials from the Town of Montezuma and informed them of the response efforts outside of Town.

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September 11-15, 2024

EPA’s Response Team mobilized to the Site on September 11, 2024 with 1 EPA On-Scene Coordinator and 9 ERRS Contractors (1 Response Manager, 1 Foreman, 1 Field Accountant, 3 Operators and 3 Laborers). Four pieces of heavy equipment (dozer, big excavator, small excavator, skid steer) were delivered to Montezuma, CO and then driven up to the Site.

During this Operations Period, the Team:

• worked to stabilize and install drainage controls along the access road that traverses the waste pile;
• collected and began stockpiling rock from across the Site for future use; and
• began to regrade and consolidate the mine waste on the west perimeter of the Site to support the future construction of erosion controls.

These activities will continue into the next Operations Period. An additional operator is being mobilized to the Site on September 17, 2024, and the Team will also begin improving the existing berm outside the adit so that any high discharge from the adit in the Spring is forced to the east perimeter of the Site and away from the middle of the waste pile.

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