The environmental crew had one job: pump out and treat contaminated water at the Gold King Mine in southern Colorado. ... Water tainted with heavy metal gushed from Gold King into the nearby Animas River, turning it a solid mustard color .
Is the Animas River clean?
Despite the many Stakeholders Group successes, water quality in the Animas River in recent years has diminished, mainly from the mines leaching into one of the river’s tributaries, Cement Creek. In 2014, the EPA decided pollution had gotten so bad that it stepped in with a $1.5 million cleanup project of its own.
Why is the Animas River Brown?
The water was a cloudy brown color with bits of suspended, charred debris . Sediment and ash from the 416 Fire piles up along the banks of Hermosa Creek, a tributary of the Animas River. The Animas began the summer with record low water because of drought and a warm winter. ... Many western rivers are stressed.
Is Animas River safe to swim in?
Health officials say the water in the Animas and San Juan rivers is safe again . The water has been treated since the accidental Gold King Mine Spill in 2015. ... The Environment Department says recent tests of the water show it’s safe.
Is the Animas River toxic?
They found that the Animas River was polluted with chemical and radioactive materials . Water, mud and algae samples taken two miles below the mill were 100 to 500 times more radioactive than the control samples taken above the mill.
Why is the Animas River orange 2021?
Why did it change color? The Environmental Protection Agency was trying to remove some heavily polluted wastewater from a mine near Silverton, Coloroado , when it accidentally spilled some into the nearby Animas River, causing it to turn orange.
How long is the Animas River Trail?
The Animas River Trail, as its name implies, is a paved trail that runs along the Animas River for about 7 miles (one way) .
Is the Gold King Mine still leaking?
Here’s What To Know About What Comes Next. Brennan Linsley/AP Water flows through a series of sediment retention ponds built to reduce heavy metal and chemical contaminants from the Gold King Mine wastewater accident outside Silverton, Colo., in this August 2015 photo.
Who paid for the cleanup of the Gold King Mine?
Under the settlement with the Navajo Nation, Sunnyside Gold Corp. — a subsidiary of Canada’s Kinross Gold — will pay the tribe $10 million. The spill released 3 million gallons (11 million liters) of wastewater from the inactive Gold King Mine in southwestern Colorado.
Where was most gold found in Colorado?
The largest piece ever unearthed comes from the Gold Flake Mine in Summit County, Colorado . The mine is located in French Gulch near the famous mining town of Breckenridge. It was found in 1887 by two men named Tom Groves and Harry Lytton, and it was named “Tom’s Baby”. It weighs an exceptional 156 troy ounces!
Are there fish in the Animas River?
Fish populations in the Animas River are primarily sustained though annual stocking of fingerling rainbow and brown trout .
Is there gold in the Animas River?
Much of the gold that comes from the mines in the mountains around the Animas River are locked up in telluride , which makes it challenging for the average prospector to recover. ... There was a lot of gold mined here back in the day, but mostly from hard rock mines. Smaller quantities were sluiced from the river.
What river goes through Silverton Colorado?
Animas River Route
The Animas river flows through Silverton before reaching the Animas Canyon and reaching Durango. Visitors to Durango can follow the river via a walking trail that has been built on the side of the river.
How did they clean the Gold King Mine Spill?
The EPA is currently compiling a cleanup plan for each mine. The agency also built a temporary water treatment plant near the Gold King. It removes arsenic, lead, and other heavy metals from mine discharge .
Is Durango tap water safe to drink?
Is the drinking water safe? Yes, the tap water is safe to drink . The Animas River always has been our secondary source of drinking water. The main source is the Florida River.
Was the Gold King Mine abandoned?
In 1918 a new company bought the mine and operated it until the fall of 1922. The GKM shipped 711,144 tons of gold and silver ore while in operation. The mine has been inactive since then . It is currently owned by San Juan Corporation.
