Upper Animas River Basin Abandoned Mine Lands Initiative
Completed
By Colorado Water Science Center
October 20, 1996
The USGS Abandoned Mine Lands Initiative (AMLI) is developing and demonstrating scientific knowledge and technologies that will help Federal land management agencies clean up contamination in areas near abandoned hardrock mines across the Nation. The Initiative is being conducted in two pilot watersheds, the Upper Animas River Basin in Colorado and the Boulder River watershed in Montana, where the USGS is partnering with the U.S. Forest Service, BLM, NPS, EPA, and State agencies in Colorado and Montana.
OBJECTIVES:
- To define background (premining) conditions.
- To define baseline (current) conditions.
- To identify target sites that contribute most to environmental deterioration.
- To characterize target sites and processes for contaminant dispersal.
- To characterize ecosystem health and controlling processes.
Below are other science projects associated with this project.
Below are data or web applications associated with this project.
Below are multimedia items associated with this project.
Below are publications associated with this project.
Integrated investigations of environmental effects of historical mining in the Animas River Watershed, San Juan County, Colorado Integrated investigations of environmental effects of historical mining in the Animas River Watershed, San Juan County, Colorado
This publication comprises a Volume Contents of chapters (listed below) and a CD-ROM of data (contents shown in column at right). The Animas River watershed in southwest Colorado is one of many watersheds in the western United States where historical mining has left a legacy of acid mine drainage and elevated concentrations of potentially toxic trace elements in surface streams. U.S...
Filter Total Items: 37
Application of iron and zinc isotopes to track the sources and mechanisms of metal loading in a mountain watershed Application of iron and zinc isotopes to track the sources and mechanisms of metal loading in a mountain watershed
Here the hydrogeochemical constraints of a tracer dilution study are combined with Fe and Zn isotopic measurements to pinpoint metal loading sources and attenuation mechanisms in an alpine watershed impacted by acid mine drainage. In the tested mountain catchment, δ56Fe and δ66Zn isotopic signatures of filtered stream water samples varied by ∼3.5‰ and 0.4‰, respectively. The inherent...
Authors
D.M. Borrok, R. B. Wanty, Ridley W. Ian, P. J. Lamothe, B. A. Kimball, P. L. Verplanck, R.L. Runkel
The use of fluoride as a natural tracer in water and the relationship to geological features: Examples from the Animas River Watershed, San Juan Mountains, Silverton, Colorado The use of fluoride as a natural tracer in water and the relationship to geological features: Examples from the Animas River Watershed, San Juan Mountains, Silverton, Colorado
Investigations within the Silverton caldera, in southwestern Colorado, used a combination of traditional geological mapping, alteration-assemblage mapping, and aqueous geochemical sampling that showed a relationship between geological and hydrologic features that may be used to better understand the provenance and evolution of the water. Veins containing fluorite, huebnerite, and...
Authors
Dana J. Bove, Katherine Walton-Day, Briant A. Kimball
A comparison of pre- and post-remediation water quality, Mineral Creek, Colorado A comparison of pre- and post-remediation water quality, Mineral Creek, Colorado
Pre- and post-remediation data sets are used herein to assess the effectiveness of remedial measures implemented in the headwaters of the Mineral Creek watershed, where contamination from hard rock mining has led to elevated metal concentrations and acidic pH. Collection of pre- and post-remediation data sets generally followed the synoptic mass balance approach, in which numerous stream...
Authors
R.L. Runkel, K.E. Bencala, B. A. Kimball, K. Walton-Day, P. L. Verplanck
Metals fate and transport modelling in streams and watersheds: state of the science and USEPA workshop review Metals fate and transport modelling in streams and watersheds: state of the science and USEPA workshop review
Metals pollution in surface waters from point and non-point sources (NPS) is a widespread problem in the United States and worldwide (Lofts et al., 2007; USEPA, 2007). In the western United States, metals associated with acid mine drainage (AMD) from hardrock mines in mountainous areas impact aquatic ecosystems and human health (USEPA, 1997a; Caruso and Ward, 1998; Church et al., 2007)...
Authors
B.S. Caruso, T.J. Cox, Robert L. Runkel, M.L. Velleux, Kenneth E. Bencala, D. Kirk Nordstrom, P.Y. Julien, B. A. Butler, Charles N. Alpers, A. Marion, Kathleen S. Smith
Environmental effects of historical mining in the Animas River watershed, southwestern Colorado Environmental effects of historical mining in the Animas River watershed, southwestern Colorado
The U.S. Geological Survey has completed an extensive environmental study of the effects of historical mining on water and sediment quality and aquatic and riparian habitat in the Animas River watershed upstream from Silverton, Colorado. Results from this study are being used by Federal and State agencies and by the local watershed stakeholders group to implement remediation and cleanup...
Authors
Stan E. Church
Geochemistry of Surface and Ground Water in Cement Creek from Gladstone to Georgia Gulch and in Prospect Gulch, San Juan County, Colorado Geochemistry of Surface and Ground Water in Cement Creek from Gladstone to Georgia Gulch and in Prospect Gulch, San Juan County, Colorado
In San Juan County, Colo., the effects of historical mining continue to contribute metals to ground water and surface water. Previous research by the U.S. Geological Survey identified ground-water discharge as a significant pathway for the loading of metals to surface water in the upper Animas River watershed from both acid-mine drainage and acid-rock drainage. In support of this ground...
Authors
Raymond H. Johnson, Laurie Wirt, Andrew H. Manning, Kenneth J. Leib, David L. Fey, Douglas B. Yager
The USGS Abandoned Mine Lands Initiative (AMLI) is developing and demonstrating scientific knowledge and technologies that will help Federal land management agencies clean up contamination in areas near abandoned hardrock mines across the Nation. The Initiative is being conducted in two pilot watersheds, the Upper Animas River Basin in Colorado and the Boulder River watershed in Montana, where the USGS is partnering with the U.S. Forest Service, BLM, NPS, EPA, and State agencies in Colorado and Montana.
OBJECTIVES:
- To define background (premining) conditions.
- To define baseline (current) conditions.
- To identify target sites that contribute most to environmental deterioration.
- To characterize target sites and processes for contaminant dispersal.
- To characterize ecosystem health and controlling processes.
Below are other science projects associated with this project.
Below are data or web applications associated with this project.
Below are multimedia items associated with this project.
Below are publications associated with this project.
Integrated investigations of environmental effects of historical mining in the Animas River Watershed, San Juan County, Colorado Integrated investigations of environmental effects of historical mining in the Animas River Watershed, San Juan County, Colorado
This publication comprises a Volume Contents of chapters (listed below) and a CD-ROM of data (contents shown in column at right). The Animas River watershed in southwest Colorado is one of many watersheds in the western United States where historical mining has left a legacy of acid mine drainage and elevated concentrations of potentially toxic trace elements in surface streams. U.S...
Filter Total Items: 37
Application of iron and zinc isotopes to track the sources and mechanisms of metal loading in a mountain watershed Application of iron and zinc isotopes to track the sources and mechanisms of metal loading in a mountain watershed
Here the hydrogeochemical constraints of a tracer dilution study are combined with Fe and Zn isotopic measurements to pinpoint metal loading sources and attenuation mechanisms in an alpine watershed impacted by acid mine drainage. In the tested mountain catchment, δ56Fe and δ66Zn isotopic signatures of filtered stream water samples varied by ∼3.5‰ and 0.4‰, respectively. The inherent...
Authors
D.M. Borrok, R. B. Wanty, Ridley W. Ian, P. J. Lamothe, B. A. Kimball, P. L. Verplanck, R.L. Runkel
The use of fluoride as a natural tracer in water and the relationship to geological features: Examples from the Animas River Watershed, San Juan Mountains, Silverton, Colorado The use of fluoride as a natural tracer in water and the relationship to geological features: Examples from the Animas River Watershed, San Juan Mountains, Silverton, Colorado
Investigations within the Silverton caldera, in southwestern Colorado, used a combination of traditional geological mapping, alteration-assemblage mapping, and aqueous geochemical sampling that showed a relationship between geological and hydrologic features that may be used to better understand the provenance and evolution of the water. Veins containing fluorite, huebnerite, and...
Authors
Dana J. Bove, Katherine Walton-Day, Briant A. Kimball
A comparison of pre- and post-remediation water quality, Mineral Creek, Colorado A comparison of pre- and post-remediation water quality, Mineral Creek, Colorado
Pre- and post-remediation data sets are used herein to assess the effectiveness of remedial measures implemented in the headwaters of the Mineral Creek watershed, where contamination from hard rock mining has led to elevated metal concentrations and acidic pH. Collection of pre- and post-remediation data sets generally followed the synoptic mass balance approach, in which numerous stream...
Authors
R.L. Runkel, K.E. Bencala, B. A. Kimball, K. Walton-Day, P. L. Verplanck
Metals fate and transport modelling in streams and watersheds: state of the science and USEPA workshop review Metals fate and transport modelling in streams and watersheds: state of the science and USEPA workshop review
Metals pollution in surface waters from point and non-point sources (NPS) is a widespread problem in the United States and worldwide (Lofts et al., 2007; USEPA, 2007). In the western United States, metals associated with acid mine drainage (AMD) from hardrock mines in mountainous areas impact aquatic ecosystems and human health (USEPA, 1997a; Caruso and Ward, 1998; Church et al., 2007)...
Authors
B.S. Caruso, T.J. Cox, Robert L. Runkel, M.L. Velleux, Kenneth E. Bencala, D. Kirk Nordstrom, P.Y. Julien, B. A. Butler, Charles N. Alpers, A. Marion, Kathleen S. Smith
Environmental effects of historical mining in the Animas River watershed, southwestern Colorado Environmental effects of historical mining in the Animas River watershed, southwestern Colorado
The U.S. Geological Survey has completed an extensive environmental study of the effects of historical mining on water and sediment quality and aquatic and riparian habitat in the Animas River watershed upstream from Silverton, Colorado. Results from this study are being used by Federal and State agencies and by the local watershed stakeholders group to implement remediation and cleanup...
Authors
Stan E. Church
Geochemistry of Surface and Ground Water in Cement Creek from Gladstone to Georgia Gulch and in Prospect Gulch, San Juan County, Colorado Geochemistry of Surface and Ground Water in Cement Creek from Gladstone to Georgia Gulch and in Prospect Gulch, San Juan County, Colorado
In San Juan County, Colo., the effects of historical mining continue to contribute metals to ground water and surface water. Previous research by the U.S. Geological Survey identified ground-water discharge as a significant pathway for the loading of metals to surface water in the upper Animas River watershed from both acid-mine drainage and acid-rock drainage. In support of this ground...
Authors
Raymond H. Johnson, Laurie Wirt, Andrew H. Manning, Kenneth J. Leib, David L. Fey, Douglas B. Yager