One million gallons of mining pollution is headed downstream
Officials are warning people to stay out of the Animas River after a
major contamination from the Gold King Mine:
About 1 million gallons of mine wastewater spilled into a tributary of the Animas River in San Juan County, threatening water quality and prompting warnings to agricultural and recreational water users on Thursday.
Health and environmental officials are evaluating the river, and officials say the mine water is acidic and contains high levels of sediment and metals.
EPA officials are warning are investigating this latest contamination, but in the meantime:
"The EPA recommends that recreational users of the Animas River avoid contact with or use of the river until the pulse of mine water passes," the release said.
All agricultural water users have been notified to shut off water intake, officials say, and pet owners have been told to keep their dogs and livestock out of the Animas River until further testing is done.
The EPA
already had an investigation underway:
Evidence from the 2015 Draft Baseline Ecological Risk Assessment (BERA) indicates that:
The benthic invertebrate (small organisms that live in or on the bottom sediments of rivers and streams) community is impaired in most sections of the Animas River, Cement Creek and Mineral Creek. Effects are less severe further down the Animas River but are apparent to Bakers Bridge.
Water in the Animas River from Arrastra Creek to approximately Cement Creek is likely toxic to all trout species, with the exception of brook trout. Brook trout living in this reach, however, are likely stressed much of the year.
Metals concentrations in the Animas River below Mineral Creek have eliminated virtually all fish down to Elk Creek and all cutthroat and rainbow trout down to Cascade Creek, where only a small community of brook and brown trout exists. Results also predict fish populations are likely impaired down to at least Bakers Bridge.
It is unlikely that birdlife or mammal populations are experiencing significant negative effects from metals in the Animas River.