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COITY OF TRATY POV- P. O. BOX 1029 • TRACY • CALIFORNIA 95376 Area Code 209: 835-2211 March 1, 1973 California Regional Water Quality Control Board Central Valley Region 3251 S Street Sacramento, California 95816 Attention: Mr. James A. Robertson Executive Officer Gentlemen: In response to your letter of February 20 , 1973, the City of ` Tracy is aware of the potential nuisance conditions presently existing at the Tracy-San Joaquin County landfill site located on Corral Hollow Road. Unfortunately, these conditions are the product of the extremely wet weather that we have been ex- periencing and, until such time as a relatively dry spell is encountered, the City is unable to take the necessary corrective actions . The smoke emitting from the site is a result of a fire that was started in August, 1972 . During the summer of 1972 , the City experienced approximately seven (7) fires at the landfill site. Some of these fires were obviously arson, with the remainder of the fires from undetermined causes . Subsequent to the fire, the City has maintained the area in a covered condition with any burning or smoldering being contained beneath the cover and within the garbage cell. This cover was maintained until the wet conditions and unstable ground conditions made further main- tenance impossible. Until such time as the dry season is reached, the City will be prevented from correcting the condition as cover material must be hauled into the site. The uncovered garbage is again a product of the wet weather we have been experiencing. The City obtains its cover dirt, con- sisting mostly of heavy clay or adobe, on site. The heavy type soils prevent the covering operation from proceding during wet weather. In most years, the rainfall is relatively light at the landfill site and the covering operation is interrupted for only short periods of time. At this date, the covering operation has commenced due to a very fortunate dry period occurring over the past week. Now long this dry period will continue and how long we can continue to cover is unknown at this time. It is expected, however, that the wet weather will continue through March and at least part of April and, I suspect, will hamper the covering con- ditions at the site. if the dry weather continues for a reason- able period of time, it is anticipated that the conditions men-