NCG020150_Emailed NOV Response NOV-201-DV-0509 (Attachment)_20220103

HEDRICK
INDUSTRIES
December 28, 2021
Certified Mail: 70153010000192896572
NCDEQ — Division of Water Resources
Landon Davidson — Regional Supervisor
Asheville Regional Office
2090 US Highway 70
Swannanoa, NC 28778
Subject: Notice of Violation Response
NOV-201-DV-0509 (Incident #202102270)
Dear Mr. Davidson,
This letter is in response to the NOV received by BV Hedrick Gravel and Sand Company from NCDEQ
— Division of Water Resources on December 17, 2021. After receiving the NOV and conversations with
DWR the pond in question located adjacent to our jaw structure was evaluated for discharge. The pond
was discharging clear water even though the pond had a slight turbid appearance. The two ponds
referenced on the NOV use to be part of our closed loop water system to provide clean wash water to
our processing plant. The ponds have not been in use since June 2021. Grove Stone changed how we
managed our wash water from the plant and installed a new vertical turbine pump in our clear pond
which made these ponds unnecessary.
1. The source of the discharge was due to a deteriorating pipe that once allowed water to gravity
drain from the clear pond to these ponds (old ponds as shown on map). The source of the
material in the ponds would be water and a small amount of sediment from our clear pond that
would have leaked into these old ponds through the pipe and leaking valve. The ponds probably
discharged during the storm event that resulted from Fred on August 19", 2021 that caused the
slight bank erosion. Due to the leaking valve and rusting pipe, we are not sure how often the
pond has discharged since Fred due to the ponds being taken out of the system. During the
inspection by Brett and during my inspection with Land Quality and subsequent inspections
since DWR notified Hedrick of the discharge the water has been clear, and no turbid water has
entered the Waters of the US.
2. The ponds as of December 22, 2021 have not discharged. The pipe that was deteriorating and
allowing water to flow towards the old ponds was sealed on December 22, 2021. The water
level has dropped approximately 3' in depth and is no longer discharging into the North Fork of
the Swannanoa. There is currently 2' of freeboard at each pond.
office: 828.686.3844
Cell: 828.712.9009
jconnerLSGhedricklndXOM
www.hedrickind.com

3. Please see attached map for description of ponds and how process water is handled at Grove
Stone and Sand.
4. The ponds were part of a closed loop system and were not subject to NCG020150. The ponds
were not a part of our stormwater permit since they were not supposed to discharge. According
to the permit this would have been considered a non-stormwater discharge and the permittee
shall evaluate the environmental significance of the non-stormwater discharges. After Grove
Stone was notified of the discharge the staff did evaluate the environmental significance and
determined that there was some bank erosion, but the water was clean and showed no signs of
contributing sediment into the river. The staff also immediately put a plan of action into place
and sealed the pipe and valve that was causing water to leak from our current clear pond into the
old ponds thus eliminating potential for the ponds to discharge in the future. The only time these
old ponds would discharge would be a tropical storm such as Fred.
5. Available dates in January 2022 for a joint inspection are January 12, 13, or 14'h.
Plan to address ponds:
Once the discharge was identified by DWR and confirmed by Grove Stone and Sand staff a plan was
initiated to address the ponds and eliminate the discharge. The deteriorating pipe was sealed on
December 22, 2021. The ponds have not discharged since December 22, 2021. The plan is to pump all
the water from the ponds to our existing closed loop wash system the first week of January 2022. Once
all the water has been pumped from the ponds the ponds will then be filled in with clean fill material.
Once the ponds have been filled, they will be taken completely out of the system and will have no
potential for discharge.
Should you have any questions regarding this report, please contact Jason Conner at [phone].
Sincerely,
G�
Con Conner
Vice President — Land Management
Office: 828.686.3844
Cell: 828.712.9009
[e-mail]
www.hedrickind.com

Series of 8 sediment ponds
Ajy }
,1 Clear Pond
Notes
i PiiOr to early 2021 the water was pumped from the slurry
pump 6000 to our last of 8 settling ponds The water then
gravity feeds and fine sediment that is suspended in the water
drops out until the material reaches the clear pond The water
would then flow through an old pipe from the clear pond to
the old punds and then be pumped through the plant t
'In early 2021 a new pump was installed in the clear pond
that now feeds the plant instead of the pump located at the
old ponds The current process is water is pumped from the
clear pond to the plant All of the water used to clean the
stone is then pumped by the slurry pump up to our last
settling pond 6000' north of the slurry pump The water then
gravity feeds through a series of ponds and is clear by the `
time it is pumpW back to the plant from the clear pond The
old ponds are no longer used in the system. ' R
*The system does not discharge water or sediment It is S
considered a closed loop system t
Slurry Pump
1
Old Ponds
8V Fredrick GRAVEL AND SAND
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Grove Stone and Sand
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HEDRICK INDUSTRIES
6941 QUARRY LANE
STANLEY, NC 28164
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S RJC 12/28/21 1 OF 1