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Boulder River Study Area | USGS Abandoned Mine Lands Initiative Completed

By Geology, Geophysics, and Geochemistry Science Center September 27, 2007

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This is a section of the USGS Abandoned Mine Lands Initative (AMLI) site.

Boulder River Watershed, Montana Study Area

The Boulder River watershed in Montana 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. Geological Survey scientists have completed a major assessment of the environmental effects of historical mining in the Boulder River watershed. The study demonstrated how the watershed approach can be used to assess and rank mining affected sites for possible cleanup. The study was conducted in collaboration with State and Federal land-management agencies.

map showing study locations in CO and MT — Location of demonstration watersheds for the Abandoned Mine Lands Initiative. From Kimball and others, 2006, doi:10.21000/JASMR06020944.

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This is a section of the USGS Abandoned Mine Lands Initative (AMLI) site.

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September 30, 2007

USGS Abandoned Mine Lands Initiative

The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) conducted an Abandoned Mine Lands (AML) Initiative during the fiscal years 1997 through 2001 to provide technical assistance in support of Federal Land Management Agency (FLMA) actions to remediate contamination associated with abandoned hard rock mining activities. This initiative was part of a larger strategy by the U.S. Department of the Interior and the U.S...

Mineral Resources Program, Geology, Geophysics, and Geochemistry Science Center

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September 30, 2007

USGS Abandoned Mine Lands Initiative

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September 29, 2007

The Plan | USGS Abandoned Mine Lands Initiative

This is a section of the USGS Abandoned Mine Lands Initative (AMLI) site. A Plan for the USGS Abandoned Mine Lands Initiative, 1997 - 2001 Prepared by: The USGS Initiative Implementation Team, and the Colorado and Montana Watershed Teams

Geology, Geophysics, and Geochemistry Science Center

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September 29, 2007

The Plan | USGS Abandoned Mine Lands Initiative

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September 28, 2007

Upper Animas River Study Area | USGS Abandoned Mine Lands Initiative

This is a section of the USGS Abandoned Mine Lands Initative (AMLI) site. Upper Animas River Watershed, Colorado Study Area

Geology, Geophysics, and Geochemistry Science Center

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September 28, 2007

Upper Animas River Study Area | USGS Abandoned Mine Lands Initiative

This is a section of the USGS Abandoned Mine Lands Initative (AMLI) site. Upper Animas River Watershed, Colorado Study Area

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Below are publications associated with this project.

January 1, 2004

Integrated investigations of environmental effects of historical mining in the Basin and Boulder Mining Districts, Boulder River watershed, Jefferson County, Montana

The Boulder River watershed 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. Abandoned mine lands commonly are located on or affect Federal land. Cleaning up these Federal lands will require substantial investment of resources. As part of a cooperative effort with

Ecosystems Mission Area, Toxic Substances Hydrology, Environmental Health Program, Columbia Environmental Research Center, Geology, Geophysics, and Geochemistry Science Center

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January 1, 2007

Concentrations of metals in water, sediment, biofilm, benthic macroinvertebrates, and fish in the Boulder River watershed, Montana, and the role of colloids in metal uptake

To characterize the partitioning of metals in a stream ecosystem, concentrations of trace metals including As, Cd, Cu, Pb, and Zn were measured in water, colloids, sediment, biofilm (also referred to as aufwuchs), macroinvertebrates, and fish collected from the Boulder River watershed, Montana. Median concentrations of Cd, Cu, and Zn in water throughout the watershed exceeded the U.S. EPA acute an

Authors

Aida Farag, David A. Nimick, Briant A. Kimball, Stanley E. Church, David D. Harper, William G. Brumbaugh

Ecosystems Mission Area, Toxic Substances Hydrology, Environmental Health Program, Columbia Environmental Research Center

January 25, 2006

Environmental effects of historical mining in the Boulder River watershed, southwestern Montana

The U.S. Geological Survey recently completed an environmental study of historical mining in the Boulder River watershed, Montana, using the watershed approach. Results of the study have been used by State and Federal agencies to plan and implement cleanup. The watershed approach is based on the premise that contaminated sites that have the most profound effect on water and ecosystem quality withi

Authors

David Nimick

Ecosystems Mission Area, Toxic Substances Hydrology, Environmental Health Program

January 1, 2004

Rare earth element partitioning between hydrous ferric oxides and acid mine water during iron oxidation

Ferrous iron rapidly oxidizes to Fe (III) and precipitates as hydrous Fe (III) oxides in acid mine waters. This study examines the effect of Fe precipitation on the rare earth element(REE) geochemistry of acid mine waters to determine the pH range over which REEs behave conservatively and the range over which attenuation and fractionation occur. Two field studies were designed to investigate REE a

Authors

P. L. Verplanck, D. Kirk Nordstrom, Howard E. Taylor, B. A. Kimball

Ecosystems Mission Area, Toxic Substances Hydrology, Environmental Health Program

January 1, 2003

Diel cycles in dissolved metal concentrations in streams: Occurrence and possible causes

Substantial diel (24‐hour) cycles in dissolved (0.1‐μm filtration) metal concentrations were observed during low flow for 18 sampling episodes at 14 sites on 12 neutral and alkaline streams draining historical mining areas in Montana and Idaho. At some sites, concentrations of Cd, Mn, Ni, and Zn increased as much as 119, 306, 167, and 500%, respectively, from afternoon minimum values to maximum va

Authors

David A. Nimick, Christopher H. Gammons, Tom Cleasby, James P. Madison, Don Skaar, Christine M. Brick

Ecosystems Mission Area, Toxic Substances Hydrology, Environmental Health Program

January 1, 2002

SHRIMP U-Pb and 40Ar/39Ar age constraints for relating plutonism and mineralization in the Boulder batholith region, Montana

The composite Boulder batholith, Montana, hosts a variety of mineral deposit types, including important silver-rich polymetallic quartz vein districts in the northern part of the batholith and the giant Butte porphyry copper-molybdenum pre-Main Stage system and crosscutting copper-rich Main Stage vein system in the southern part of the batholith. Previous dating studies have identified ambiguous r

Authors

Karen Lund, John N. Aleinikoff, Michael J. Kunk, Daniel M. Unruh, G. D. Zeihen, W. C. Hodges, Edward A. du Bray, J. Michael O'Neill

Geology, Geophysics, and Geochemistry Science Center

November 1, 2000

Water-quality data for streams in the Boulder River Watershed, Jefferson County, Montana

Chemical data were collected in the Boulder River watershed of southwestern Montana during 1996-99 as part of a detailed interdisciplinary study characterizing the effects of historical inactive mines on streams in the watershed. This report presents water-quality data collected by the U.S. Geological Survey for physical properties, major ions, nutrients, and trace elements for 62 sites in and nea

Authors

David A. Nimick, Thomas E. Cleasby

Ecosystems Mission Area, Toxic Substances Hydrology, Environmental Health Program

October 1, 2000

Analytical results for total-digestions, EPA-1312 leach, and net acid production for twenty-three abandoned metal-mining related wastes in the Boulder River watershed, northern Jefferson County, Montana

IntroductionMetal-mining related wastes in the Boulder River basin study area in northern Jefferson County, Montana, have been implicated in their detrimental effects on water quality with regard to acid generation and toxic-metal solubilization during snow melt and storm water runoff events. This degradation of water quality is defined chiefly by the “Class 1 Aquatic Life Standards” that give lim

Authors

David L. Fey, George A. Desborough, Christopher J. Finney

Ecosystems Mission Area, Toxic Substances Hydrology, Environmental Health Program

September 1, 2000

Analytical results for Bullion Mine and Crystal Mine waste samples and bed sediments from a small tributary to Jack Creek and from Uncle Sam Gulch, Boulder River watershed, Montana

Metal-mining related wastes in the Boulder River basin study area in northern Jefferson County, Montana affect water quality as a result of acid-generation and toxic-metal solubilization. Mine waste and tailings in the unnamed tributary to Jack Creek draining the Bullion mine area and in Uncle Sam Gulch below the Crystal mine are contributors to water quality degradation of Basin Creek and Catarac

Authors

David L. Fey, Stan E. Church, Christopher J. Finney

Ecosystems Mission Area, Toxic Substances Hydrology, Environmental Health Program

September 1, 2000

Chemical data and lead isotopic compositions of geochemical baseline samples from streambed sediments and smelter slag, lead isotopic compositions in fluvial tailings, and dendrochronology results from the Boulder River watershed, Jefferson County, Montan

IntroductionAs a part of the U.S. Geological Survey Abandoned Mine Lands Initiative, metal-mining related wastes in the Boulder River study area in northern Jefferson County, Montana, have been evaluated for their environmental effects. The study area includes a 24-km segment of the Boulder River in and around Basin, Montana and three principal tributaries to the Boulder River: Basin Creek, Catara

Authors

Daniel M. Unruh, David L. Fey, Stan E. Church

Ecosystems Mission Area, Toxic Substances Hydrology, Environmental Health Program

January 1, 2000

Ground geophysical study of the Buckeye mine tailings, Boulder watershed, Montana

The Buckeye mine site is located in the Boulder River watershed along Basin Creek, in northern Jefferson County, Montana. This project is part of the Boulder River watershed Abandoned Mine Lands Initiative, and is a collaborative effort between the U.S. Geological Survey and Bureau of Land Management in the U.S. Department of the Interior, and the U.S. Forest Service in the U.S. Department of Agri

Authors

Robert R. McDougal, Bruce D. Smith

Ecosystems Mission Area, Toxic Substances Hydrology, Environmental Health Program

January 1, 2000

Schlumberger DC resistivity soundings in the Boulder Watershed, Jefferson and Lewis and Clark counties, Montana

During July, 1997, twenty four Schlumberger dc resistivity soundings were made in the Boulder watershed and adjacent areas (fig. 1). The objective of geophysical studies in the watershed is to map subsurface lithologic, structural and hydrologic features important in controlling possible ground water contamination from mining activities and for design of remediation efforts. These studies are part

Authors

Bruce D. Smith, Tracy Sole

Ecosystems Mission Area, Toxic Substances Hydrology, Environmental Health Program

January 1, 2000

Airborne geophysical surveys in the Boulder Watershed, Jefferson and Lewis and Clark Counties, Montana

INTRODUCTIONThree airborne geophysical surveys have been made in the Boulder watershed and adjacent areas (fig. 1). The objectives of the geophysical studies in the watershed is to map subsurface lithologic, structural and hydrologic features important in controlling possible ground water contamination from mining activities and to design remediation efforts. These studies are part of an abandoned

Authors

Bruce D. Smith, Victor Franklin Labson, Patricia L. Hill

Geology, Geophysics, and Geochemistry Science Center