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
Assessment of metal loads in watersheds affected by acid mine drainage by using tracer injection and synoptic sampling: Cement Creek, Colorado, USA Assessment of metal loads in watersheds affected by acid mine drainage by using tracer injection and synoptic sampling: Cement Creek, Colorado, USA
Watersheds in mineralized zones may contain many mines, each of which can contribute to acidity and the metal load of a stream. In this study the authors delineate hydrogeologic characteristics determining the transport of metals from the watershed to the stream in the watershed of Cement Creek, Colorado. Combining the injection of a chemical tracer, to determine a discharge, with...
Authors
B. A. Kimball, R.L. Runkel, K. Walton-Day, K.E. Bencala
Evaluating remedial alternatives for an acid mine drainage stream: Application of a reactive transport model Evaluating remedial alternatives for an acid mine drainage stream: Application of a reactive transport model
A reactive transport model based on one-dimensional transport and equilibrium chemistry is applied to synoptic data from an acid mine drainage stream. Model inputs include streamflow estimates based on tracer dilution, inflow chemistry based on synoptic sampling, and equilibrium constants describing acid/base, complexation, precipitation/dissolution, and sorption reactions. The dominant...
Authors
R.L. Runkel, B. A. Kimball
Geochronology and geology of late Oligocene through Miocene volcanism and mineralization in the western San Juan Mountains, Colorado Geochronology and geology of late Oligocene through Miocene volcanism and mineralization in the western San Juan Mountains, Colorado
This paper presents 25 new 40Ar/39Ar dates from the main calc-alkaline ash-flow sheets and related younger plutons of the western San Juan volcanic field, the ash-flow sheets of the Lake City caldera cycle, and veins and other altered rocks in the Lake City region. The goal of the study was to produce similar quality 40Ar/39Ar ages to those currently published for the eastern and central...
Authors
Dana J. Bove, Ken Hon, Karin E. Budding, John F. Slack, Lawrence W. Snee, Ross A. Yeoman
Bioavailability of metals in stream food webs and hazards to brook trout (Salvelinus fontinalis) in the upper Animas River watershed, Colorado Bioavailability of metals in stream food webs and hazards to brook trout (Salvelinus fontinalis) in the upper Animas River watershed, Colorado
The water quality, habitats, and biota of streams in the upper Animas River watershed of Colorado, USA, are affected by metal contamination associated with acid drainage. We determined metal concentrations in components of the food web of the Animas River and its tributaries - periphyton (aufwuchs), benthic invertebrates, and livers of brook trout (Salvelinus fontinalis) - and evaluated...
Authors
J.M. Besser, W. G. Brumbaugh, T.W. May, S. E. Church, B. A. Kimball
Metal loading assessment of a small mountainous sub-basin characterized by acid drainage -- Prospect Gulch, upper Animas River watershed, Colorado Metal loading assessment of a small mountainous sub-basin characterized by acid drainage -- Prospect Gulch, upper Animas River watershed, Colorado
strongly affected by natural acidity from pyrite weathering. Metal content in the water column is a composite of multiple sources affected by hydrologic, geologic, climatic, and anthropogenic conditions. Identifying sources of metals from various drainage areas was determined using a tracer injection approach and synoptic sampling during low flow conditions on September 29, 1999 to...
Authors
Laurie Wirt, Kenneth J. Leib, Roger Melick, Dana J. Bove
Hydrologic and water-quality data at selected sites in the Upper Animas River watershed, southwestern Colorado, 1997-99 Hydrologic and water-quality data at selected sites in the Upper Animas River watershed, southwestern Colorado, 1997-99
No abstract available.
Authors
M. Alisa Mast, J. B. Evans, K.J. Leib, W. G. Wright
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
Assessment of metal loads in watersheds affected by acid mine drainage by using tracer injection and synoptic sampling: Cement Creek, Colorado, USA Assessment of metal loads in watersheds affected by acid mine drainage by using tracer injection and synoptic sampling: Cement Creek, Colorado, USA
Watersheds in mineralized zones may contain many mines, each of which can contribute to acidity and the metal load of a stream. In this study the authors delineate hydrogeologic characteristics determining the transport of metals from the watershed to the stream in the watershed of Cement Creek, Colorado. Combining the injection of a chemical tracer, to determine a discharge, with...
Authors
B. A. Kimball, R.L. Runkel, K. Walton-Day, K.E. Bencala
Evaluating remedial alternatives for an acid mine drainage stream: Application of a reactive transport model Evaluating remedial alternatives for an acid mine drainage stream: Application of a reactive transport model
A reactive transport model based on one-dimensional transport and equilibrium chemistry is applied to synoptic data from an acid mine drainage stream. Model inputs include streamflow estimates based on tracer dilution, inflow chemistry based on synoptic sampling, and equilibrium constants describing acid/base, complexation, precipitation/dissolution, and sorption reactions. The dominant...
Authors
R.L. Runkel, B. A. Kimball
Geochronology and geology of late Oligocene through Miocene volcanism and mineralization in the western San Juan Mountains, Colorado Geochronology and geology of late Oligocene through Miocene volcanism and mineralization in the western San Juan Mountains, Colorado
This paper presents 25 new 40Ar/39Ar dates from the main calc-alkaline ash-flow sheets and related younger plutons of the western San Juan volcanic field, the ash-flow sheets of the Lake City caldera cycle, and veins and other altered rocks in the Lake City region. The goal of the study was to produce similar quality 40Ar/39Ar ages to those currently published for the eastern and central...
Authors
Dana J. Bove, Ken Hon, Karin E. Budding, John F. Slack, Lawrence W. Snee, Ross A. Yeoman
Bioavailability of metals in stream food webs and hazards to brook trout (Salvelinus fontinalis) in the upper Animas River watershed, Colorado Bioavailability of metals in stream food webs and hazards to brook trout (Salvelinus fontinalis) in the upper Animas River watershed, Colorado
The water quality, habitats, and biota of streams in the upper Animas River watershed of Colorado, USA, are affected by metal contamination associated with acid drainage. We determined metal concentrations in components of the food web of the Animas River and its tributaries - periphyton (aufwuchs), benthic invertebrates, and livers of brook trout (Salvelinus fontinalis) - and evaluated...
Authors
J.M. Besser, W. G. Brumbaugh, T.W. May, S. E. Church, B. A. Kimball
Metal loading assessment of a small mountainous sub-basin characterized by acid drainage -- Prospect Gulch, upper Animas River watershed, Colorado Metal loading assessment of a small mountainous sub-basin characterized by acid drainage -- Prospect Gulch, upper Animas River watershed, Colorado
strongly affected by natural acidity from pyrite weathering. Metal content in the water column is a composite of multiple sources affected by hydrologic, geologic, climatic, and anthropogenic conditions. Identifying sources of metals from various drainage areas was determined using a tracer injection approach and synoptic sampling during low flow conditions on September 29, 1999 to...
Authors
Laurie Wirt, Kenneth J. Leib, Roger Melick, Dana J. Bove
Hydrologic and water-quality data at selected sites in the Upper Animas River watershed, southwestern Colorado, 1997-99 Hydrologic and water-quality data at selected sites in the Upper Animas River watershed, southwestern Colorado, 1997-99
No abstract available.
Authors
M. Alisa Mast, J. B. Evans, K.J. Leib, W. G. Wright