Sources of Metal Loading to the Lake Fork from Turquoise Lake to the confluence with the Arkansas River

The Lake Fork emerges from the outlet of Turquoise Lake at the Sugarloaf dam and flows approximately 5 miles before joining the upper Arkansas River. The first reach of the Lake Fork downstream from the dam is affected by drainage from abandoned mines in the Sugarloaf mining district. Whereas remediation of some of the mine sites has been initiated, Federal Land holders are interested in assessing the sources of metal-rich loads along the entire reach of the Lake Fork between Sugarloaf dam and the confluence with the upper Arkansas River. The U.S. Geological Survey is assisting in this effort by conducting a low-flow tracer-injection synoptic sampling study along the Lake Fork.