CONTROL OF FIRES IN INACTIVE COAL DEPOSITS

IN WESTERN UNITED STATES,

INCLUDING ALASKA, 1948-58

By T. R. JOLLEY AND H. W. RUSSELL

* * * * * * * * * Information Circular 7932

UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIORFred A. Seaton, Secretary

BUREAU OF MINES

Marling J. Ankeny, Director

1959

This publication has been cataloged as follows:

Jolley, Theodore RControl of fires in inactive coal deposits in western United

States, including Alaska, 1948-58, by T. R. Jolley and H. W.Russell. [Washington] U. S. Dept. of the Interior, Bureau ofMines, 1959.

ii, 22 p. illus., tables. 27 em. (U. S. Bureau of Mines. Informa-tion circular, 7932)

1. Fires-The West. 2. Coal mines and mining-Fires and fire pre-vention. I. Russell, H. W., joint author. II. Title. (Series)

[TN23.U71 no. 7932] 622.06173

U. S. Dept. of the Int. Library

CONTENTS

Summary .•..••••••••••••••••••••••0 0 ••• 0 • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • 1

Introduction 0.00 ••••••••••••••••••••••••••••• 00.. 2

Acknowledgment .•••••••••• 0 •••••• 0 •••••••••••••••••••••••• 5

Scope of program .•...•••..•..••.•••••••..••.•••• 0........ 5

Control and extinguishment •••.•• ••••••• 0 ••••••••••••••••• 6

Preliminary investigation .• ••••••••••••••••• 0 ••••••• 6

Topographic mapping. ••••• 0 • 0 •••••••••••••••••••••••• 7

Methods .•.•••• 0 •••••••••••••••••••••••••••••• 0 • • •• • • 7

Removal .•...••..•••.••••••• 0 •••••••••• 0 • • • • • • • • 7

Isolation 0 • • • • • • • • • • • • • • 7

Smothering .• 9

Contracts ......••• 0...................................... 11

Results and benefits .•....•••••••••• o.................... 11

Conclusions ..•.••••..••....••••.•••••...• 0 0...... .. 16

ILLUSTRATIONS

Fig.1. Two Trees fire area in Montana, showing subsidence

and cracks 0 • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • 3

2. Vicinity of Dugger Rollins fire area in Colorado,showing results of fire that damaged over 3,000acres of timber................................... 4

3. Overburden removal at I.H.I. No.2 fire area inCo1orado ..••.•••..•.... o.o ..... o................... 8

11

ILLUSTRATIONS (Con.)

Fig.4. Skull Creek fire area in Colorado, showing equipment

working in isolation trench....................... 9

5. Cross-sectional diagrams, showing fire area andmethod of covering................................ 10

6. Deer Creek fire area in Montana, showing subsidence. 12

7. Sloping operation on Padlock Ranch fire area inWyoming .•••.•..•..••••••••••••••••••• 0 • • • • • • • • • • • • 13

8. Starting berm at bottom of sloped area for buildingup smothering mantle at Virgil Weidner fire....... 14

9. Deer Creek fire project in Montana, showing cover ofincombustible material.,........................... 15

10. Diversion ditch at Moyer Gulch project in Wyoming... 16

11. Dam protecting smothering cover at Deer Creekproject in Montana.o.............................. 17

12. Temperature decline in test holes................... 18

TABLES

1. Known and controlled fires by States................. 5

2. Summary of projects ..•••.••.o........................ 193. Chronological listing of completed and controlled

projects .••.•...•.••••••••• o •..••• oo .••••.••. o..... 20

CONTROL OF FIRES IN INACTIVE COAL DEPOSITS IN WESTERNUNITED STATES, INCLUDING ALASKA, 1948-5821

by

T. R. JolleyV and H. W. Russell!!

SUMMARY

This publication describes the control of fires in inactive coal depos-its in the Western United States, including Alaska by the Bureau of Mines.Material presented should contribute to abetter understanding of thepurpose, process, and benefits of the program.

Forty fires were extinguished or controlled in the Western United Statesand Alaska from 1948 to 1958 under a national program directed by the Bureau'sHealth and Safety activity. Thirty-five fires were controlled by smothering;three were controlled by the isolation method; and two were extinguished byremoving the burning coal, smothering it with incombustible material, andbackfilling the fire zone. The fire-control projects were distributed asfollows: Alaska 2, Arizona 1, Colorado 9, Montana 9, New Mexico 4, Utah 2,and Wyoming 13.

The total cost of the 40 fires extinguished or controlled was $1,203,957.Of this cost, 12.8 percent was engineering and administrative and 87.2 per-cent was contractual services.

The quantity of coal exposed to each fire cannot be determined accu-rately, but the occurrence of numerous scoria beds in coal formations indi-cate that uncontrolled fires in the past have destroyed a tremendous quantityof coal. The beds ranged in thickness from 3 to 84 feet, and the coal rangedin classification from lignite to bituminous but was mostly subbituminous.The calorific value ranged from 5,590 to 12,580 B.t.u.

Conservation of coal resources and preservation of other property jus-tify continuing this program for control of coal-formation fires.

II Work on manuscript completed April 1959.11 Mining health and safety engineer, Health and Safety District H,Bureau of Mines, Denver, Colo.

11 Former Bureau of Mines supervising m~n~ng health and safety engineer(retired), Health and Safety District H, Denver, Colo.

2

INTRODUCTION

Numerous fires throughout the Western United States are continually burn-ing along coal outcrops. A few of them have been burning for over a hundredyears, whereas others are recent. The fires have different origins. Many werestarted by Indians or sheepherders, who camped on the coal outcrop and neg-lected to extinguish their camp fires. Lightning and forest fires have alsoignited trees or brush along the outcrop. During the process of mining coal,fires have been started by spontaneous combustion and other causes and thenleft burning when the mines were abandoned. Later, the fire was found to havespread thrQugh the mine workings and progressed along the coa1bed to the outcrop.

These fires seldom extinguish themselves. In places where the dip of thecoa1bed was such that the overburden increased rapidly, fires progressed to con-siderable depths as they continued burning along the coal outcrop. In flatdeposits many acres of coal have been destroyed, and the progress of the burn-ing was due mostly to caving of the ground after the coal burned, which openedcracks to the surface. Through these cracks air was supplied and the burningcontinued. In figure 1 the caved, settled area can be seen in the foreground,and crevices supplying air are clearly shown in the center of the picture.

The fires have burned millions of tons of coal, destroyed thousands ofacres of grazing land, and in some instances started brush and forest fires.Figure 2 shows the result of a forest fire that was started by a burningoutcrop and destroyed over 3,000 acres of forest. Fire areas also presenta hazard to cattle and wildlife. Many animals bedding on the fire area inwinter have been trapped in crevices or overcome by noxious gases.

Control of fires in inactive coal deposits in the Western United Statesand Alaska was begun by the Bureau of Mines in 1948. U. S. Department ofthe Interior Appropriation Act~/ authorized the Bureau of Mines to controlfires in inactive coal formations in land owned as follows:

1. Federal land.2. Government-owned coal deposits in privately owned surface land.3. Privately owned land that endangers adjacent Government-owned coal

deposits.4. In privately owned coal deposits, if the owner of the coal rights

contributes 50 percent of the cost.~/ Public Law 841, 80th Cong., 2d sess., Act of 1948, Fiscal Year 1949.

Public Law 350, 81st Cong., 1st sess., Act of 1949, Fiscal Year 1950.Public Law 759, 8lst Cong., 2d sess., Act of 1950, Fiscal Year 1951.Public Law 136, 82d Cong., 1st sess., Act of 1951, Fiscal Year 1952.Public Law 470, 82d Cong., 2d sess., Act of 1952, Fiscal Year 1953.Public Law 172, 83d Cong., 1st sess., Act of 1953, Fiscal Year 1954.Public Law 465, 83d Cong., 2d sess., Act of 1954, Fiscal Year 1955.Public Law 78, 84th Cong., 1st sess., Act of 1955, Fiscal Year 1956.Public Law 573, 84th Cong., 2d sess., Act of 1956, Fiscal Year 1957.Public Law 87-77, 85th Cong., 1st sess., Act of 1957, Fiscal Year 1958.Public Law 85-439, 85th Cong., 2d sess., Act of 1958, Fiscal Year 1959.

3

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5

From 1948 through 1958 $1,203,957 was spent on this program in Alaska,Arizona, Colorado, Montana, New Mexico, Utah, and Wyoming. Detailed reportsof each fire-control project are available for inspection by interestedparties in the office of the District Supervisor, District H, Health andSafety Activity, Building 20, Federal Center, Denver, Colo.

ACKNOWLEDGMENT

The assistance and cooperation of land owners and officials of companies,State, and Federal agencies, who have provided information and made recordsavailable, are gratefully acknowledged.

SCOPE OF PROGRAM

The fire-control activities discussed herein embrace the Western UnitedStates (west of the Mississippi River), including Alaska. To date, work hasbeen done in seven States. Table 1 lists by States the known fires, firescontrolled or extinguished, and the total amount of money spent for contrac-tual services for the various projects in each State.

TABLE 1. - Known and controlled fires by StatesFires Controlled Amount spent for

State reported fires contractual servicesAlaska ..................... 2 2 $38,914.09Arizona ............... 0 •••• 3 1 17,989.49California ................. 1 °Colorado .••••..•..••••••••• 35 9 236,573.13Montana .••••.•••••• o •••• 0 •• 66 9 178,019.46New Mexico .•••••••••••••••• 13 4 76,434.91North Dakota .•••••••••••••• 6 °South Dakota .•••••••••••••• 3 °Utah .••.•••••••.•••••• o •••• 12 1/2 86,459.30Wyoming .•..........•••••• 0 • 36 13 415.038.36

Total .........•....... 177 40 1,049,428.741/ Includes Hoffman Creek (incomplete).

The average cost on this basis of completed projects is $26,235.72.Actually, the cost of individual projects ranges from $4,789.76, (Three Forksin Montana), to an estimated $150,000 (Hoffman Creek in Utah). Because ofthis wide variation, the estimated cost of a project is often the determiningfactor in deciding whether a fire should be controlled.

Total costs charged against each project are slightly higher than thoseshown in table 1. The engineering, supervisory, and administrative costs areincluded with contractual services. (See table 2.) These additional costsaverage about 12.8 percent of the total. Projects are distributed among theStates on the basis of highest rank coal and thickest coalbeds. Fires thatare most accessible and fit allotted funds are given preference. Table 2also gives information on the coalbeds.

6

Because of the immense destruction, control of large fires is essentialfrom a conservation standpoint. However, control of smaller fires to preventtheir spread is more desirable because funds are more readily available forsuch projects and the consequent savings are greater. Control of large andcostly fires has been considered and has been tried by extending the work overseveral years. For example, the Hoffman Creek fire in Utah was partly con-trolled during the summer of 1958. This project is expected to be completedby the end of 1959. However owing to funds and time involved, some work maybe carried over to 1960.

All projects thus far have involved fires in inactive Federal coaldeposits or fires endangering such deposits. Although fires are burning inprivately owned coal and are endangering active mines, none has been con-trolled under the cooperative arrangement in the West. Under this arrange-ment, the owner of the coal rights, where the fire is burning would have toassume 50 percent of the cost.

CONTROL AND EXTINGUISHMENT

Since 1948, when the Federal control and extinguishment of coal-cropfires was begun, 126 of the 177 known fires have been investigated, 66 mapped,and 40 controlled or extinguished. The work comprises:

1. Preliminary investigation.

2. Topographic mapping.

3. Filling and covering, removal, or isolation.Table 3 lists completed projects chronologically and gives information on

location, method used, and contractor.Preliminary Investigation

The first step in preliminary investigation is to determine ownership.Surface and coal rights are examined in county assessor's records and plats,patents, and Bureau of Land Management records of surface and coal rightsland status. The tract or lot section, township, range, county, and State inwhich a fire is burning is determined from existing stone or brass-cappedland-survey markers. This procedure involves a transit survey to confirm theexact location of the fire area. Location and ownership are very importantbecause partial cost must be borne by the owner, if the fire is on privatelyowned coal.

The burning coa1bed and overlying and underlying stratum (where possi-ble), are measured and identified. Whether the coa1bed is adequate in thick-ness and quality to be mined profitably in the area is also determined. Theoverlying or underlying stratum or adjacent alluvium must be suitable foruse as covering material.

The history of mining in the area and of the fire is obtained from nearbyresidents or existing records. An attempt is made to determine the originof the fire and whether the coal has been used as fuel.

7

Topographic Mapping

A topographic map is made of the fire and surrounding areas to show allphysical features. The map shows: Surface area of the fire, elevations,subsidence, hot spots or vents, cracks, mine openings, dumps, roads, drain-age, buildings, fences, vegetation, borrow pits, and other pertinent informa-tion. The slope of the terrain can be obtained by marking cross sections onthe map and projecting the cross sections into a vertical plane. Borrow-pitareas can be marked on the map then laid out in the field. The contour linesshow points of equal elevation and are used to layout roadways and berms forthe cover.

These maps are useful for estimating the amount of work required formiscellaneous bulldozing, exploratory drilling, and test-hole drilling inorder to determine the number of cubic yards of material needed for compactedfilling and covering. The estimate is used to allocate funds, to select proj-ects for the summer season, and to prepare invitations to bid on work to bedone.

MethodsMethods used to control and extinguish coalbed fires in the Western

United States and Alaska are: (1) Removal, (2) isolation, and (3) smothering.

A discussion of each method and its advantages and disadvantages follows.

Removal

The removal method consists of excavating the burning mass, placing itin an inco~bustible area, and extinguishing the burning coal by smothering.The excavation is backfilled to prevent rekindling. Removal of the burningcoal is a direct approach, and further destruction of coal is stopped. Useof this method presents a health and safety hazard because of attendant heat,fumes, and dust. Two fires, the I.H.I. Nos. 1 and 2 in Colorado, were con-trolled by the removal method. Figure 3 shows drilling operations and removalof overburden at I.H.I. No.2 fire area. The success of smothering the burn-ing coal with a mantle of incombustible material at the I.H.I. projects inapproximately 1 year showed that smothering was effective in extinguishingcoal fires.

Isolation

The isolation method consists of separating the burning mass from themain coal formation by establishing a barrier that stops the fire from spread-ing or advancing into the main coalbed. In this method a trench of su~tabledimensions is excavated from the surface through the overburden, the coalbed,and the carbonaceous shale that usually underlies the coalbed. The trench issubsequently backfilled with compacted incombustible material to an adequateheight above the coalbed. The isolated mass continues to burn toward thebarrier, and burning stops when the isolated coal is burned out. This methodwas used to control three fires: Skull Creek, near Massadona, Colo.; NorthPark, near Coalmont, Colo.; and Ranger Station in Alaska.

8

FIGURE 3. - Overburden Removal at I.H.1. No.2 Fire Area in Colorado.

The Skull Creek fire was burning in a narrow ridge of the coal formationthat could be separated from the main mass of coal by digging a trench acrossthe ridge. The coalbed was 16 feet thick. Figure 4 shows work in progressin the trench dug across the ridge. The isolated fire has continued to burnfor 8 years after being controlled by the barrier.

The North Park fire was burning in the unmined top coal and pillars ofan abandoned underground mine in a 28-foot coalbed. The overlying stratumsagged over the rooms, and it was hazardous to place filling and coveringmaterial over the voids. This fire was isolated by digging a trench aroundit and enclosing the burning area. The isolated fire has continued to burnfor 10 years.

The Ranger Station fire was burning in a coalbed, near the top of anescarpment at Katchemak Bay, Alaska, comprising alternating bands of inter-bedded coal, shale, and soft sandstone. The coalbed was about 4 feet thicknear the top of the escarpment and about 400 feet above the beach ofKatchemak Bay, which was washed continually by waves at high tide. As theburning coalbed was at the top of this precipitous escarpment it could notbe smothered. Five years after control the fire had not reached the barrier.

9

FIGURE 4. - Skull Creek Fire Area In Colorado, Showing Equipment Workingin Isolation Trench.

The three fires controlled by isolation were unusual because of the rela-tion of the burning coalbed to the main coal formation and adjacent terrain.The isolating trenches were about 60 feet deep at Skull Creek, 100 feet deepat North Park, and 30 feet deep at Ranger Station. The trenches isolatedfires in coalbeds 16 feet, 28 feet, and about 4 feet thick, respectively.

Obviously, use of the removal and isolation methods is limited by theoverburden and terrains. Therefore, these methods have been used only a fewtimes. Their main disadvantage is that they cannot be used when the over-burden is excessive.

Smothering

The smothering method is used most frequently and consists of coveringburning-coal formations with an 8- to la-foot mantle of compacted, incom-bustible earthen material that prevents admission of air to propagate com-bustion. The mantled area is extended 35 feet beyond the periphery of theactively burning fire area. The fire area is prepared for covering bysloping the cracked and subsided surface with a bulldozer to a smooth, evenplane. Figure 5 shows a cross section of a fire area before sloping (part A)and the method of control (part B). Some cracks are closed during the slop-ing operation, and smothering of the fire begins even before the area is

10

covered. A berm or roadway is started below the burning coa1bed or in thelowest part of the fire basin, and incombustible material is hauled fromborrow pits outside the fire area. This material is compacted in contour

.--SH-ALE--~-=:'-------- - --- - - - - ----------------- ------------_ .•... ~- -- - - - - - - - - - - -.-. . .... ... . .. ~... . .. .. ... ..... .

PART A DIAGRAM OF COAL BURNING AND OVERBURDENCRACKING AND SUBSIDING

(BERM WIDTH=XX = 8 Cosecant Angle A)

--

PART B DIAGRAM OF SLOPED 'FIRE AREA AND COVERINGFIRE WITH INCOMBUSTIBLE MATERIAL

FIGURE 5. - Cross-Sectional Diagrams, Showing Fire Area and Method of Covering.

layers 8 inches thick. The contour layers are built horizontally and longi-tudinally until 8 feet of incombustible material has been added perpendicularto the slope of the surface. (See fig. 5, part B.) The width of the bermchanges proportionately to the angle of the sl()ped surface because the firearea usually is not at the same constant slope. The width of the berm orhorizontal distance is 8 feet times the cosecant of the angle of the slopedsurface with the horizontal. Slope tables are prepared for guidance and con-trol. The thickness of the filling and covering material on flat areas is

11

controlled by setting 8-foot-grade stakes. The berm or roadway width is markedas each layer is added. At the beginning of the program, lO-foot cover normalto the surface was used; however, it was found that satisfactory results couldbe obtained with 8 feet of material.

Work stages of a project using the filling and covering method are shownby selected photographs, which illustrate the appearance of fires before,during, and at completion of control. Figure 6 shows the Deer Creek fire inMontana as it appeared before control work was begun. The peripheral cracksin the overburden are caused by subsidence from the burning of a l6-footcoalbed. Figure 7 shows sloping and preparing the Padlock Ranch fire withtwo bulldozers. Combustion vapors from the burning coalbed can be seenahead and to the left of the distant bulldozer.

Building up the smothering mantle of incombustible material with acrawler tractor and scraper at the Virgil Weidner fire in Montana is shownin figure 8. The roadway or berm was begun with a bulldozer; then, succeed-ing contour layers were added, building the sealing mantle up and over eachcontour layer. (See fig. 9.) The ridges of the contour strips reducewater erosion. It is often necessary, however, to cut diversion ditches toprevent washing out cover material. Normally, washing out is prevented bythe natural contour of the surface on the upper side of the fill; however,if a large drainage area is involved, diversion ditches are cut. Figure 10is a view of a diversion ditch of this type at Moyer Gulch project. In oneinstance a small earthen dam (fig. 11) had to be erected. This dam provedto be a big asset to ranchers, as it greatly improved the range by retainingwater for livestock.

CONTRACTS

Standard Government construction contracts are let to the lowest qual-ified competitive bidder, and work is guaranteed under a standard performancebond. Wages of contractor's employees, in accordance with fair labor prac-tices, are guaranteed by a payment bond. Costs of bid items are comparedwith those of similar projects to ascertain whether a fair unit cost was bid.The work has been performed under the supervision of Bureau of Mines personnel.

RESULTS AND BENEFITS

Excellent results have been obtained to date on all projects. Repairsand maintenance have been negligible. Only in very few instances has itbeen necessary to fill cracks in the cover resulting from settling or wash-ing out of material.

The time necessary for the complete extinguishing and cooling of a firecannot be estimated. The time varies with the fire intensity, its extent,the cover, the type of formation~ and whether it is in a solid coalbed orabandoned mine workings. On some projects test holes were drilled and casedin the fire area before covering. These holes were subsequently used for airsampling and temperature measurements to determine rate of cooling.

12

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13

FIGURE 7. Sloping Operation on Padlock Ranch Fire Area In Wyoming.

Typical temperature-time differential curves for three test holes onthe Terry No.2 fire are shown in figure 12. A definite cooling trend isapparent in all three test-hole areas which denotes a decrease in combustion.Leveling of the curves when temperatures are constant indicates that the firehas been controlled in the borehole area. If these temperatures are near thenormal temperature of the strata, the fire is assumed to be no longer active.Measurements are made at approximately the same depth; however, variation intemperature readings can be observed with only 1 or 2 feet difference indepth. In some places it has been noticed that surface temperature affectsthe test-hole measurements.

In some fire areas, tests made several years after completion of theproject indicate that complete cooling has not taken place, whereas fires inother areas are extinguished and cooled in a relatively short time. Forexample, the Moose Creek fire in Alaska was extinguished completely in lessthan 1 year, and mining was begun the following year. Obviously, in addi-tion to the actual saving of coal there are benefits from the coal-avail-ability standpoint.

14

FIGURE 8. - Starting Berm at Bottom of Sloped Area for Building Up Smothering Mantleat Virgil Weidner Fire.

The quantity of coal exposed to a coal-formation fire cannot be accu-rately determined. The coal within the fire area can be determined andclassified as measured coal, as defined by the Bureau of Mines and GeologicalSurvey.2./

The amount of coal exposed has not been included in this report becausenumerous indefinite factors may affect the burning rate. Some of thesefactors are:

1. The length of time each fire has burned.

2. The effect of rainfall and inherent moisture.

3. The effect of variable dip and thickness of coalbeds.

4. The effect of poorly consolidated overlying strata compared withstrongly consolidated strata, also the thickness of the overlying strata.2./ Dowd, James J., Turnbull, Louis A., Toenges, Albert L., Cooper, H. M.

Abernethy, R. F., Reynolds, D. A., and Fraser, Thomas, Estimate ofKnown Recoverable Reserves of Coking in Cambria County, Pa.: Bureauof Mines Rept. of Investigation 4734, 1950, pp. 3-5.

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5. The effect of the direction of burning in relation to prevailingwinds.

6. The effect of sulfur and other impurities .

FIGURE 10. - Diversion Ditch at Moyer Gulch Project in Wyoming.

Large scoria beds, formed by the burning of underlying coalbeds are evi-dence that these fires have destroyed enormous quantities of coal. The mosttypical area of widespread occurrence of scoria beds is in northeasternWyoming near Moorcroft, Gillette, Buffalo, and Sheridan, where the upperparts of many small monadnock-type hills are scoria.

Perhaps one of the most important indirect benefits of this fire-controlprogram is the prevention of forest, grass, and brush fires. Preserving andimproving grazing land and preventing destruction of cattle and wildlife arealso important benefits in some fire areas.

CONCLUSIONS

The smothering method of control and extinguishment of coal-formationfires is the most adaptable method in the Western United States. This methodrequires less earth-moving equipment, and the work usually can be performedrapidly and relatively cheaply.

17

FIGURE 11. - Dam Protecting Smothering Cover at Deer Creek Project in Montana.(Water was beneficial to livestock.)

The isolation method may be adaptable to thin beds at shallow depths,but thick coalbeds at greater depths require deep isolating trenches and thuscost more. The fire is not extinguished until all isolated coal is burned,which usually takes many years. Frequently, excavating equipment is requiredin addition to earth-moving equipment.

The removal method creates a health and safety hazard, as hot coals,ashes, and overlying strata are dry and dusty. The excavation needed forthis method is apt to be large, deep, and costly. Removal is the most directmethod but is undesirable except in very small fires near the surface.

All fire-control projects require patrolling, inspection, and mainte-nance for at least 3 years or until extinguishment of the fire is assured.The mantle sealing the fire must exclude oxygen and retain all combustionproducts throughout the cooling period.

The conservation of coal resources and the preservation of life andproperty justify continuing control and extinguishment of coal-formationfires.

18

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080

20,3

03Te

rry

No.1

1956

do.

Lign

ite

135,

630

18,0

92Te

rry

No.2

do.

do.

do.

125,

630

16,5

09Th

ree

Fork

s19

58do

.Su

bbit

umin

ous

165,

860

8,23

3Tw

oTr

ees

1957

do.

do.

18-1

/28,

490

51,5

42Vi

rgil

Weid

ner

1958

do.

do.

187,

640

10,3

30La

Plat

a19

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rbon

ero

Bitu

mino

us6

11,6

3017

,758

Newc

omb

1956

Unna

med

do.

239,

680

18,5

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leDa

m19

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uitl

and

"c"

Subb

itum

inou

s12

11,6

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San

Juan

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ondo

.6-

3/4

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man

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kIn

comp

lete

do.1

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75,1

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cci

1957

No.1

Mudd

ydo

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1/2

8,06

030

,317

Alka

liBu

tte

1956

Sign

orSu

bbit

umin

ous

157,

930

62,1

30Bu

rnin

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name

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-1/2

8,41

060

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ield

do.

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ndV

do.

448,

260

78,1

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stle

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en19

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name

dLi

gnit

e13

11,3

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kCr

eek

1952

Rola

ndSu

bbit

umin

ous

127,

420

42,1

25La

ur19

50Fe

lix

do.

10-1

/27,

471

Linw

ood

1954

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med

do.

107,

592

Litt

leTh

unde

r19

50Ro

1and

!1do

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7,42

051

,333

Moye

rGu

lch

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do.

do.

847,

730

41,3

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dloc

kRa

nch

1951

do.

do.

3739

,221

Popo

sia

1957

Land

erdo

.12

5,59

028

,750

Snak

eRi

ver

1955

Unna

med

Bitu

mino

us14

10,7

2022

,293

Soda

Lake

1954

do.

Subb

itum

inou

s8

6611

TABL

E2.

-Su

mmar

yof

proj

ects

Tota

l••

IINa

meof

bed

assu

med.

11Fi

shCr

eek,

Rock

Cany

on~

and

Lowe

rSu

nnys

ide

beds

also

infi

rear

ea.

1,20

3,95

7•... \0

N o

Name

TABL

E3.

-Ch

rono

logi

cal

list

ing

ofco

mple

ted

and

cont

roll

edpr

ojec

ts

Loca

tion

--1e

ga1

desc

ript

ion

No. 10 11 12 131

June

-Dec

embe

r19

52Date

Apri

l-Ju

ly19

49

2Ju

ly-O

ctob

er19

49

3No

vemb

er19

49-

May

1950

4Ju

ne-A

ugus

t19

50

5Ju

ly-S

epte

mber

1950

6Ju

ly-N

ovem

ber

1950

7Ja

nuar

y-Ma

rch

1951

8Ap

ril-

Sept

embe

r19

51

9Ju

ly-S

epte

mber

1951

Apri

l-Se

ptem

ber

1951

Sept

embe

r-De

cemb

er19

51

July

-Oct

ober

1952

I.H.

I.No

.1

Nort

hPa

rk

Moye

rGu

lch

Canf

ield

Laur

Burn

ing

Coal

San

Juan

Pyle

Dam

Litt

le

Padl

ock

Ranc

h

Skul

lCr

eek

Dugg

erRo

llin

s

Elk

Cree

k

Meth

odRe

mova

l

Isol

atio

n

Smot

heri

ng

do.

do.

do.

do.

do.

do.

do.

Isol

atio

n

Smot

heri

ng

do.

Cont

ract

orLo

uie

Pine

llo

Cont

ract

ing

Co.

Nugg

etCo

alCo

.

do.

Knis

ely-

Moor

eCo

.

Leon

Whit

e

Bras

el&

Whit

ehea

dan

dAs

bell

Bros

.Al

vis

F.De

niso

n

O.D.

Smit

hhar

tan

dAl

vis

F.De

niso

nDo

yle

H.Mo

ore

J.D.

Whit

ean

dNu

gget

Coal

Co.

Hunt

Cons

truc

tion

Co.

Mine

rals

Engi

neer

ing

Co.

and

Home

rN.

Gerb

azDo

yle

H.Mo

ore

and

Leon

Whit

e

Sec.

16,

T.5

S.,

R.92

W.,

6P.

M.,

7mi

les

nort

heas

tof

Rix1

e,Ga

rfie

ldCo

unty

,Co

lo.

Sec-

.26,

T.

7N.

,R.

81W.

,6

P.M.

,1

mile

sout

hwes

tof

Coal

mont

,Ja

ckso

nCo

unty

,Co

lo.

Sec.

10,

T.

51N.

,R.

72W.

,6

P.M.

8mi

les

nort

hof

Gill

ette

,Ca

mpbe

llCo

unty

,Wy

o.Se

c.14

,T

.41

N.,

R.70

W.,

6P.

M.12

mile

sso

uthe

ast

ofTe

ck1a

,Ca

mpbe

llCo

unty

,Wy

o.Se

c.11

,T

.49

N.,

R.72

W.,

6P.

M.4

mile

sso

uth

ofGi

llet

te,

Camp

bell

Coun

ty,

Wyo.

Sec.

22,

T.

39N.

,R.

68W.

,6

P.M.

22mi

les

nort

heas

tof

Bill

,Co

nver

seCo

unty

,Wy

o.Se

c.31

,T

.19

N.,

R.1

W".,

N.M.

P.M.

,3/

4mi

lewe

stof

LaVe

ntan

a,Sa

ndov

alCo

unty

,N.

Mex.

Sec.

28,

T.

30N.

,R.

15W.

,N.

M.P.

M.,

4mi

les

west

ofFr

uitl

and,

San

Juan

Coun

ty,

N.Me

x.Se

c.13

and

14,

T.

43N.

,R.

70W.

,6

P.M.

,22

mile

sso

uthe

ast

ofHi

1igh

t,Ca

mpbe

llCo

unty

,Wy

o.Se

c.24

and

25,

T.55

N.,

R.73

W.,

6P.

M.,

9mi

les

sout

heas

tof

Recl

use,

Camp

bell

Coun

ty,

Wyo.

Sec.

35an

d36

,T

.3

N.,

R.10

2W.

,6

P.M.

,13

mile

sso

uthw

est

ofMa

ssad

ona,

Rio

Blan

coCo

unty

,Co

loSe

c.35

,T

.13

S.,

R.96

W.,

6P.

M.12

mile

sno

rth

ofDe

lta,

Delt

aCo

unty

,Co

lo.

Sec.

22an

d23

,T.

56N.

,R.

72W.

,6

P.M.

,12

mile

sno

rthw

est

ofWe

ston

,Ca

mpbe

llCo

unty

,Wy

o.

14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26

June

-Jul

y19

53IC

oal

Gulc

h

June

-Sep

temb

erISn

ake

Rive

r19

53

June

-Aug

ust

II.

H.I.

No.2

1953

Janu

ary-

June

ILa

Plat

a19

54

June

-Jul

yIL

inwo

od19

54

May-

June

1954

ISla

gle

June

-Jul

yIS

oda

Lake

1954

July

-Aug

ust

ICas

tle

Gard

en19

54

June

-Aug

ust

IYel

low

Jack

et19

54

Augu

st-N

ovem

ber

IRan

ger

Stat

ion

1954

Octo

ber-

Dece

mber

IMoo

seCr

eek

1954

June

-Jul

y19

55IF

ulle

r

July

-Aug

ust

1955

IBla

ckMe

sa

do.

IHo

mer

N.Ge

rbaz

do.

IDo

yle

H.Mo

ore

Remo

val

IHu

ntCo

nstr

ucti

onCo

.

Smot

heri

ngIA

lvis

F.De

niso

nan

dBu

rnet

tCo

nstr

ucti

onCo

.

do.

ICo

nrad

'sCo

nstr

ucti

onCo

.

do.

IWa

llac

eBe

ard

do.

INu

gget

Coal

Co.

do.

Ido

.

do.

IHu

ntCo

nstr

ucti

onCo

.

Isol

atio

nIBu

reau

ofMi

nes,

Bure

auof

Land

Mana

geme

nt,

and

Bure

auof

Publ

icRo

ads

Smot

heri

ngIW

ilso

nEx

cava

ting

Co.

do.

IG.

E.Ma

rsha

ll

do.

IAlv

isF.

Deni

son

Sec.

18,T.

8S.

,R.

101W.

~6

P.M.

,20

mile

sno

rth

ofFr

uita

,Me

saCo

unty

,Co

lo.

Sec.

9,T

.12

N.,

R.89

W.,

6P.

M.,

2mi

les

east

ofSa

very

,Ca

rbon

Coun

ty,

Wyo.

Sec.

16,

T.

5S.

,R.

92W.

,6P.

M.,

7mi

les

nort

heas

tof

Rifl

e,Ga

rfie

ldCo

unty

,Co

lo.

Sec.

13,

T.

32N.

,R.

13W.

,N.

M.P.

M.,

25mi

les

nort

hof

Farm

ingt

on,

San

Juan

Coun

ty,

N.Me

x.Se

c.24

,T

.12

N.,

R.10

9W.

,6P.

M.,

45mi

les

sout

hof

Gree

nRi

ver,

Swee

twat

erCo

unty

,Wy

o.Se

c.5,

T.

46N.

,R.

7W.

,N.

M.P.

M.,

10mi

les

east

ofDa

llas

,Ou

ray

Coun

ty,

Colo

.Se

c.18

,T.

25N.

,R.

89W

.,6

P.M.

,30

mile

sno

rth

ofRa

wlin

s,Ca

rbon

Coun

ty,

Wyo.

Lot

3,S.

5,T

.34

N.,

R.90

W.,

and

S.32

,T

.35

N.,

R.90

W.,

6P.

M.,

18mi

les

sout

heas

tof

Mone

ta,

Frem

ont

Coun

ty,

Wyo.

Sec.

19,

T.

2N.

,R.

92W.

,6

P.M.

,15

mile

sno

rthe

ast

ofMe

eker

,Ri

oBl

anco

Coun

ty,

Colo

.Se

c.15

,T

.6

S.,

R.14

W.,

S.M.

,3-

1/2

mile

swe

stof

Home

r,Ke

nai

Peni

nsul

a,Al

aska

.Se

c.27

,T

.19

N.,

R.2E.

,S.

M.,

11mi

les

nort

heas

tof

Palm

er,

Mata

nusk

aVa

lley

(Moo

seCr

eek)

,Al

aska

.Se

c.28

,T.

20N.

,R.

56E.

,M.

P.M.

,16

mile

swe

stof

Sava

ge,

Daws

onCo

unty

,Mo

nt.

Not

surv

eyed

--Na

vajo

Indi

anRe

serv

atio

n,13

to17

mile

sso

uthw

est

ofKa

yent

a,Na

vajo

Coun

ty,

Ariz

.tv •....

.

N NTABLE

3.-Chronological

listing

ofcompleted

andcontrolled

projects

(Con.)

'"...• o

No.

27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40

July-August

19561TerryNo.2

Date

July-September

1955

June-July

1956

do.

June-October

1956

July-October

1956

October-

December

1956

May-June-1957

June-September

1957

August-October

1957

June

1958

June-July

1958

June-July

1958

July-October

195e

Name

OnionLake

TerryNo.1

Glendive

Creek

Deer

Creek

Alkali

Butte

Newcomb

Ricci

TwoTrees

Poposia

ThreeForks

Reservation

Creek

Virgin

Weidner

Hoffman

Creek

Method

Smothering

do.

do.

do.

do.

do.

do.

do.

do.

do.

do.

do.

do.

do.

Contractor

HomerN.

Gerbaz

Darold

C.Jones

do.

LawConstruction

Co.

Darold

C.Jones

Boatright-Smith

Ray

L.Atchison

H.J.

Winuner

JamesA.

Vaughn

Larson&Skivingt

on

L.P.

Anderson

do.

do.

H.J.

Winuner

Location--legal

description

Sec.

3,T.

47N.,R.

7W.,N.M.

P.M.,

16miles

southeast

ofMontrose,

Montrose

County,

Colo.

Sec.

10,T.

12N.,R.

51E.,M.P.M.,

2miles

northeast

ofTerry,

Prairie

County,Mont.

Sec.

11,T.

12N.,R.

51E.,M.P.M.,

2-1/

2miles

northeast

ofTerry,

Prairie

County,Mont.

Sec.

22,T.

16N.,R.

56E.,M.P.M.,

6miles

east

ofGlendive,

Dawson

County,

Mont.

Sec.

4,T.

16N.,R.

55E.,M.P.M.,

11miles

northwest

ofGlendive,

Dawson

County,

Mont.

Sec.

25,T.

34N.,

R.95

W.,

6P.M.

13miles

southof

Riverton,

Fremont

County,Wyo.

Sec.

31,T.

25N.,

R.17

W.,

N.M.P.M.,

40miles

southeast

ofShiprock,

SanJuan

County,N.

Hex.

Sec.

35,T.

20S.,R.

5E.

,S.L.P.M.,

20miles

southwest

ofFerron,

Sevier

County,

Utah.

Sec.

14and

15,T.

4'S.,

R.48

E.,

P.M.M.,

20miles

west

ofBroadus,

Powder

River

County,Mont.

Sec.

3and4,

T.33

N.,R.

98W.,

6P.M.,

3miles

southof

Hudson,

Fremont

County,Wyo.

Sec.

7andS.

6,T.

5S.,R.

49E.,

M.P.

M.,20

miles

southwest

ofBroadus,

Powder

River

County,

Mont

Sec.

14,T.

2S.,R.

43E;,M.P.

M.,

10miles

northwest

ofAshland,

Rosebud

County,Mont.

Sec.

9,T.

16N.,

R.56

E.,M.P.M.,

8miles

northeast

ofGlendive,

Dawson

County,Mont.

Sec.

9,T.

13s.

,R.

11E.,

S.L.M.,

14miles

northeast

ofPrice,

Carbon

County.

Utah.