Chemical Modeling of Acid Waters Questa Baseline and Pre-Mining Ground-Water Quality Investigation, Red River Valley Basin, New Mexico Active
The US Geological Survey and the New Mexico Environment Department entered into a Joint Powers Agreement as of April 30, 2001 to execute an investigation of baseline and pre-mining ground-water quality in the Red River Basin, New Mexico. The main objective is to infer the pre-mining ground-water quality at the Questa Molycorp mine site. This study was formulated because New Mexico law states that part of the closeout plan for mining sites must include compliance with ground-water quality standards unless it can be shown that prior to mining there existed ground-water quality that exceeded these standards. There are reasons to believe that such standards may have been exceeded before mining although no direct information exists. If these conditions can be reasonably demonstrated and found acceptable to the appropriate parties, then they may be used in lieu of the existing ground-water quality standards.
This investigation uses a multi-faceted approach to determining pre-mining ground-water quality that includes determination of the existing hydrogeologic and geochemical conditions at off-site analog areas, modeling of the hydrogeochemical conditions off site, determination of parameters that would have affected on-site controls of hydrogeology and geochemistry before mining, and appropriate scaling and modeling of on-site conditions.
USGS Participants
NRP: Kirk Nordstrom, Philip Verplanck, James Ball, Blaine McCleskey, Sara LoVetere, Ann Maest, Dennis Eberl, Kirk Vincent
GD: Geoff Plumlee, Eric Livo, Steve Ludington, Kathy Smith, Michael Powers, Stan Church, Jeff Lucius
CO District: Rob Runkel, Katie Walton-Day
UT District: Briant Kimball, Judy Steiger
CA District : Charlie Alpers (External Reviewer)
USGS Questa Publications - Reports and Professional Papers
Lucius, J.E., Bisdorf, R.J., and Abraham, J. (2001) Results of Electrical Surveys near Red River, New Mexico, U.S. Geological Survey Open-File Report 01-0331.
Livo, K.E.and Clark, R. N. (2002) Mapped Minerals at Questa, New Mexico, Using Airbourne Visible-Infrared Imaging Spectrometer (AVIRIS) Data -- Preliminary Report, U.S.Geological Survey Open-File Report 02-0026.
Powers, M.H. and Burton, B.L. (2004), Questa Baseline and Pre-Mining Ground-Water Quality Investigation. 1. Depth to Bedrock Determinations Using Shallow Seismic Data Acquired in the Straight Creek Drainage Near Red River, New Mexico, U.S. Geological Survey Open-File Report 2004-1236.
McCleskey, R.B., Nordstrom, D.K., Steiger, J.I., Kimball, B.A.,and Verplanck, P.L. (2003) Questa Baseline and Pre-Mining Ground-Water Quality Investigation. 2. Low-Flow (2001) and Snowmelt (2002) Synoptic/Tracer Water Chemistry for the Red River, New Mexico. U.S. Geological Survey Open-File Report 03-148.
Lovetere, S.H., Nordstrom, D.K., Maest, A.S., and Naus, C.A. (2004) Questa Baseline and Pre-Mining Ground-Water Quality Investigation. 3. Historical Ground-Water Quality for the Red River Valley, New Mexico. U.S. Geological Survey Water-Resources Investigations Report 03-4186.
Maest, A.S., Nordstrom, D.K., and Lovetere, S.H. (2004) Questa Baseline and Pre-Mining Ground-Water Quality Investigation. 4. Historical Surface-Water Quality for the Red River Valley, New Mexico. U.S. Geological Survey Scientific Investigations Report 2004-5063.
Naus, C.A., McCleskey, R.B., Nordstrom, D.K., Donohoe, L.C., Hunt. A.G., Paillet, F., Morin, R.H., and Verplanck, P.L. (2005) Questa Baseline and Pre-Mining Ground-Water Quality Investigation. 5. Well Installation, Water-Level Data, and Surface- and Ground-Water Geochemistry in the Straight Creek Drainage Basin, Red River Valley, New Mexico, 2001-03. U.S. Geological Survey Scientific Investigations Report 2005-5088.
Caine, J.S. (2003) Questa Baseline and Pre-Mining Ground-Water Quality Investigation. 6. Preliminary Brittle Structural Geologic Data, Questa Mining District, southern Sangre de Cristo Mountains, New Mexico. U.S. Geological Survey Open-File Report 03-280.
Plumlee, G.S., Ludington, S., Vincent, K.R., Verplanck, P.L., Caine, J.S., and Livo, K.E. (2006) Questa Baseline and Pre-Mining Ground-Water Quality Investigation. 7. A Pictorial Record of Chemical Weathering, Erosional Processes, and Potential Debris-flow Hazards in Scar Areas Developed on Hydrothermally Altered Rocks: U.S. Geological Survey Open-File Report 2006-1205.
Church, S.E., Fey, D.L., and Marot, M.E. (2005) Questa Baseline and Pre-Mining Ground-Water Quality Investigation. 8. Lake-Sediment Geochemical Record from 1960 to 2002, Eagle Rock and Fawn Lakes, Taos County, New Mexico. U.S.Geological Survey Open-File Report 2005-5006.
Ludington, S., Plumlee, G.S., Caine, J.S., Bove, D., Holloway, J.M., and Livo, K.E. (2004) Questa Baseline and Pre-Mining Ground-Water Quality Investigation. 10. Geologic influences on ground and surface waters in the lower Red River watershed, New Mexico. U.S. Geological Survey Scientific Investigations Report 2004-5245.
Briggs, P.H. Sutley, S.J., and Livo, K.E. (2003) Questa Baseline and Pre-Mining Ground-Water Quality Investigations. 11. Geochemistry of alteration scars and waste piles, U.S. Geological Survey Open-File Report 03-458.
Ball, J.W., Runkel, R.L., and Nordstrom, D.K. (2005) Questa Baseline and Pre-Mining Ground-Water Quality Investigation. 12. Geochemical and Reactive-Transport Modeling Based on Low-Flow and Snowmelt Tracer Studies for the Red River, New Mexico. U.S. Geological Survey Scientific Investigations Report 2005-5149.
Plumlee, G.S., Lowers, H., Koenig, A., Ludington, S. (2005) Questa baseline and pre-mining ground-water quality investigation. 13. Mineral microscopy and chemistry of mined and unmined porphyry molybdenum mineralization along the Red River, New Mexico: Implications for ground- and surface-water quality. US Geological Survey Open-File Report 2005-1442.
Nordstrom, D.K., McCleskey, R.B., Hunt, A.G., and Naus, C.A., (2005) Questa Baseline and Pre-Mining Ground-Water Quality Investigation. 14. Interpretation of ground-water geochemistry in catchments other than the Straight Creek catchment, Red River Valley, Taos County, New Mexico, 2002-2003. U.S. Geological Survey Scientific Investigations Report 2005-5050.
Blanchard, P.J., Bartolino, J.R., Donohoe, L.C., McAda, D.P., Naus, C. A., and Morin, R.H. (2006) Questa Baseline and Pre-Mining Ground-Water Quality Investigation. 15. Methods of phase II and III well installation and development and results of well logging, hydraulic testing, and water-level measurements in the Red River Valley, New Mexico, 2002-04: U.S. Geological Survey Scientific Investigations Report 2006-5246.
McCleskey, R.B. Nordstrom, D.K., and Naus, C.A. (2004) Questa Baseline and Pre-Mining Ground-Water Quality Investigation. 16. Quality assurance and quality control of water analyses. U.S. Geological Survey Open-File Report 2004-1341.
Vincent, K. (2008) Questa Baseline and Pre-Mining Ground-Water Quality Investigation. 17. Geomorphology of the Red River Valley, Taos County, New Mexico, and Influence on Ground-Water Flow in the Shallow Alluvial Aquifer: U.S. Geological Survey Scientific Investigations Report 2006-5156.
Caine, J.S. (2006) Questa Baseline and Pre-Mining Ground-Water Quality Investigation. 18.Characterization of Brittle Structures in the Questa Caldera and Their Potential Influence on Bedrock Ground-Water Flow, Red River Valley, New Mexico: U.S. Geological Survey Professional Paper 1729, p. 37.
Smith, K.S. and others (2006) Questa Baseline and Pre-Mining Ground-Water Quality Investigation. 19. Leaching Characteristics of Composited Materials from Mine Waste-Rock Piles and Naturally Altered Areas near Questa, New Mexico: U.S. Geological Survey Scientific Investigation Report 2006-5165.
Verplanck, P.L., McCleskey, R.B., and Nordstrom, D.K. (2006) Questa Baseline and Pre-Mining Ground-Water Quality Investigation. 20. Water chemistry of the Red River and selected seeps, tributaries, and precipitation, Taos County, New Mexico, 2000-2004. U.S. Geological Survey Scientific Investigations Report 2006-5028.
Naus, C.A., McAda, D.P., Myers, N.C. (2006), Questa Baseline and Pre-Mining Ground-Water Quality Investigation. 21. Hydrology and water balance of the Red River Basin, New Mexico 1930-2004. U.S.Geological Survey Scientific Investigations Report 2006-5040.
McAda, Douglas P. Naus, Cheryl A., 2008, Questa Baseline and Pre-Mining Ground-Water-Quality Investigation 22 - Ground-Water Budget for the Straight Creek Drainage Basin, Red River Valley, New Mexico U.S. Geological Survey Scientific Investigation Report 2007-5149, 34 p.
Kimball, B.A., Nordstrom, D.K., Runkel, R.L., and Verplanck, P.L. (2006) Questa Baseline and Pre-Mining Ground-Water Quality Investigation. 23. Quantification of mass loading from mined and unmined areas along the Red River, New Mexico. U.S. Geological Survey Scientific Investigations Report 2006-5004.
Powers, Michael H., and Burton, Bethany L., 2006, Questa baseline and pre-mining ground-water quality investigation. 24. Seismic refraction tomography for volume analysis of saturated alluvium in the Straight Creek drainage and its confluence with Red River, Taos County, New Mexico: U.S. Geological Survey Scientific Investigation Report 2006-5166, 19 p.
Nordstrom, D.K., 2007, Questa baseline and pre-mining ground-water quality investigation. 25. Summary of results and baseline and pre-mining ground-water geochemistry, Red River Valley, Taos County, New Mexico, 2001-2005: U.S. Geological Survey Professional Paper 1728, p. 183.
Abstracts and Other Publications
Hunt, A.G., Naus, C.A., Nordstrom, D.K., and Landis, G.P.(2004) Use of 3-helium/tritium ages to determine chlorofluorocarbon degradation associated with naturally occurring acid drainage, Questa, New Mexico, in Geological Society of America, 2004 annual meeting.: Abstracts with Programs - Geological Society of America: Boulder, CO, p. 574.
Maest, A.S., Nordstrom, D.K., and LoVetere, S.H. (2004) Influence of hydrologic conditions on historical water quality in a stream affected by natural and mining-related sources, 1965-2001, in Geological Society of America, 2004 annual meeting.: Abstracts with Programs - Geological Society of America: Boulder, CO, p. 86.
Nordstrom, D.K., Naus, C.N., McCleskey, R.B., Verplanck, P.L. (2004) Contrasting ground-water geochemistry between acidic debris-flow waters and neutral-pH bedrock waters in mineralized volcanics, Red River valley, New Mexico, in Geological Society of America, 2004 annual meeting.: Abstracts with Programs - Geological Society of America: Boulder, CO, p. 465
McCleskey, R.B., Verplanck, P.L., and Nordstrom, D. K. (2004), Storm and diel surface-water chemistry variation in the Red River near Questa, New Mexico, in Geological Society of America, 2004 annual meeting.: Abstracts with Programs - Geological Society of America: Boulder, CO, p. 29.
Ball, J.W., Runkel, R.L., and Nordstrom, D.K. (2004) Geochemical and reactive-transport modeling based on low-flow and snowmelt tracer studies for the Red River, New Mexico, in Geological Society of America, 2004 annual meeting.: Abstracts with Programs - Geological Society of America: Boulder, CO, p. 29.
Verplanck, P.L., Nordstrom, D.K., Manning, A.H., Caine, J.S., Plumlee, G.S., Hunt, A.G., and Bove, D. (2004) Linking geochemical and hydrologic models of ground water in two Rocky Mountain catchments: Straight Creek, NM and Handcart Gulch, CO, in Geological Society of America, 2004 annual meeting.: Abstracts with Programs - Geological Society of America: Boulder, CO, p. 539.
Plumlee, G.S., Ludington, S., Caine, J.S., Bove, D.J., Holloway, J.M., Lowers, H.A., and Livo, K.E. (2004) Environmental geology of erosional scar areas developed above Climax-type molybedenite deposits in the Red River watershed, New Mexico, in Geological Society of America, 2004 annual meeting.: Abstracts with Programs - Geological Society of America: Boulder, CO, p. 465.
Nordstrom, D.K., 2005, A river on the edge – Water quality in the Red River and the USGS background study, in Price, L.G., Bland, Douglas, McLemore, V.T., and Barker, J.M., eds., Mining in New Mexico, Decision-Makers Conference 2005, Taos region, New Mexico Bureau of Geology and Mineral Resources, Socorro, New Mexico, 64-67.
Nordstrom, D.K., Verplanck, P.L., Naus, C.A., McCleskey, R.B., 2002, The Questa baseline and pre-mining ground-water quality investigation: preliminary data. [abs.]: Geological Society of America Abstracts with Programs v.34, no. 6, p. 51.
Nordstrom, D.K. ,Verplanck, P.L., Naus, C.A., Plumlee, G.S., McCleskey, R.B., 2003 A baseline and pre-mining ground-water quality investigation at the Questa molybdenum mine site, New Mexico, USA. [abs.]: 7th International Conference on the Biogeochemistry of Trace Elements, Uppsala, Sweden, June 15-19, 2003
Below are publications associated with this project.
Questa Baseline and Pre-mining Ground-Water Quality Investigation, 7. A Pictorial Record of Chemical Weathering, Erosional Processes, and Potential Debris-flow Hazards in Scar Areas Developed on Hydrothermally Altered Rocks
Questa baseline and pre-mining ground-water quality investigation. 25. Summary of results and baseline and pre-mining ground-water geochemistry, Red River Valley, Taos County, New Mexico, 2001-2005
Questa baseline and pre-mining ground-water quality investigation 22 — Groundwater budget for the Straight Creek drainage basin, Red River Valley, New Mexico, with a section on Sulphur Gulch water budget
Questa Baseline and Pre-Mining Ground-Water Quality Investigation. 17. Geomorphology of the Red River Valley, Taos County, New Mexico, and Influence on Ground-Water Flow in the Shallow Alluvial Aquifer
Questa baseline and pre-mining ground-water quality investigation. 19. Leaching characteristics of composited materials from mine waste-rock piles and naturally altered areas near Questa, New Mexico
Questa Baseline and Pre-Mining Ground-Water Quality Investigation. 24. Seismic Refraction Tomography for Volume Analysis of Saturated Alluvium in the Straight Creek Drainage and Its Confluence With Red River, Taos County, New Mexico
Questa baseline and pre-mining ground-water quality investigation 15.—Methods of phase II and III well installation and development and results of well logging, hydraulic testing, and water-level measurements in the Red River Valley, New Mexico, 2002-04
Questa baseline and premining ground-water quality investigation 18. Characterization of brittle structures in the Questa Caldera and their potential influence on bedrock ground-water flow, Red River Valley, New Mexico
Questa baseline and pre-mining ground-water quality investigation. 21. Hydrology and water balance of the Red River Basin, New Mexico, 1930-2004
Questa baseline and pre-mining ground-water quality investigation. 23. Quantification of mass loading from mined and unmined areas along the Red River, New Mexico
Questa baseline and pre-mining ground-water quality investigation. 20. Water chemistry of the Red River and selected seeps, tributaries, and precipitation, Taos County, New Mexico, 2000-2004
Questa baseline and premining ground-water quality investigation. 8. Lake-sediment geochemical record from 1960 to 2002, Eagle Rock and Fawn Lakes, Taos County, New Mexico
- Overview
The US Geological Survey and the New Mexico Environment Department entered into a Joint Powers Agreement as of April 30, 2001 to execute an investigation of baseline and pre-mining ground-water quality in the Red River Basin, New Mexico. The main objective is to infer the pre-mining ground-water quality at the Questa Molycorp mine site. This study was formulated because New Mexico law states that part of the closeout plan for mining sites must include compliance with ground-water quality standards unless it can be shown that prior to mining there existed ground-water quality that exceeded these standards. There are reasons to believe that such standards may have been exceeded before mining although no direct information exists. If these conditions can be reasonably demonstrated and found acceptable to the appropriate parties, then they may be used in lieu of the existing ground-water quality standards.
This investigation uses a multi-faceted approach to determining pre-mining ground-water quality that includes determination of the existing hydrogeologic and geochemical conditions at off-site analog areas, modeling of the hydrogeochemical conditions off site, determination of parameters that would have affected on-site controls of hydrogeology and geochemistry before mining, and appropriate scaling and modeling of on-site conditions.
USGS Participants
NRP: Kirk Nordstrom, Philip Verplanck, James Ball, Blaine McCleskey, Sara LoVetere, Ann Maest, Dennis Eberl, Kirk Vincent
GD: Geoff Plumlee, Eric Livo, Steve Ludington, Kathy Smith, Michael Powers, Stan Church, Jeff Lucius
CO District: Rob Runkel, Katie Walton-Day
UT District: Briant Kimball, Judy Steiger
CA District : Charlie Alpers (External Reviewer)
USGS Questa Publications - Reports and Professional PapersLucius, J.E., Bisdorf, R.J., and Abraham, J. (2001) Results of Electrical Surveys near Red River, New Mexico, U.S. Geological Survey Open-File Report 01-0331.
Livo, K.E.and Clark, R. N. (2002) Mapped Minerals at Questa, New Mexico, Using Airbourne Visible-Infrared Imaging Spectrometer (AVIRIS) Data -- Preliminary Report, U.S.Geological Survey Open-File Report 02-0026.
Powers, M.H. and Burton, B.L. (2004), Questa Baseline and Pre-Mining Ground-Water Quality Investigation. 1. Depth to Bedrock Determinations Using Shallow Seismic Data Acquired in the Straight Creek Drainage Near Red River, New Mexico, U.S. Geological Survey Open-File Report 2004-1236.
McCleskey, R.B., Nordstrom, D.K., Steiger, J.I., Kimball, B.A.,and Verplanck, P.L. (2003) Questa Baseline and Pre-Mining Ground-Water Quality Investigation. 2. Low-Flow (2001) and Snowmelt (2002) Synoptic/Tracer Water Chemistry for the Red River, New Mexico. U.S. Geological Survey Open-File Report 03-148.
Lovetere, S.H., Nordstrom, D.K., Maest, A.S., and Naus, C.A. (2004) Questa Baseline and Pre-Mining Ground-Water Quality Investigation. 3. Historical Ground-Water Quality for the Red River Valley, New Mexico. U.S. Geological Survey Water-Resources Investigations Report 03-4186.
Maest, A.S., Nordstrom, D.K., and Lovetere, S.H. (2004) Questa Baseline and Pre-Mining Ground-Water Quality Investigation. 4. Historical Surface-Water Quality for the Red River Valley, New Mexico. U.S. Geological Survey Scientific Investigations Report 2004-5063.
Naus, C.A., McCleskey, R.B., Nordstrom, D.K., Donohoe, L.C., Hunt. A.G., Paillet, F., Morin, R.H., and Verplanck, P.L. (2005) Questa Baseline and Pre-Mining Ground-Water Quality Investigation. 5. Well Installation, Water-Level Data, and Surface- and Ground-Water Geochemistry in the Straight Creek Drainage Basin, Red River Valley, New Mexico, 2001-03. U.S. Geological Survey Scientific Investigations Report 2005-5088.
Caine, J.S. (2003) Questa Baseline and Pre-Mining Ground-Water Quality Investigation. 6. Preliminary Brittle Structural Geologic Data, Questa Mining District, southern Sangre de Cristo Mountains, New Mexico. U.S. Geological Survey Open-File Report 03-280.
Plumlee, G.S., Ludington, S., Vincent, K.R., Verplanck, P.L., Caine, J.S., and Livo, K.E. (2006) Questa Baseline and Pre-Mining Ground-Water Quality Investigation. 7. A Pictorial Record of Chemical Weathering, Erosional Processes, and Potential Debris-flow Hazards in Scar Areas Developed on Hydrothermally Altered Rocks: U.S. Geological Survey Open-File Report 2006-1205.
Church, S.E., Fey, D.L., and Marot, M.E. (2005) Questa Baseline and Pre-Mining Ground-Water Quality Investigation. 8. Lake-Sediment Geochemical Record from 1960 to 2002, Eagle Rock and Fawn Lakes, Taos County, New Mexico. U.S.Geological Survey Open-File Report 2005-5006.
Ludington, S., Plumlee, G.S., Caine, J.S., Bove, D., Holloway, J.M., and Livo, K.E. (2004) Questa Baseline and Pre-Mining Ground-Water Quality Investigation. 10. Geologic influences on ground and surface waters in the lower Red River watershed, New Mexico. U.S. Geological Survey Scientific Investigations Report 2004-5245.
Briggs, P.H. Sutley, S.J., and Livo, K.E. (2003) Questa Baseline and Pre-Mining Ground-Water Quality Investigations. 11. Geochemistry of alteration scars and waste piles, U.S. Geological Survey Open-File Report 03-458.
Ball, J.W., Runkel, R.L., and Nordstrom, D.K. (2005) Questa Baseline and Pre-Mining Ground-Water Quality Investigation. 12. Geochemical and Reactive-Transport Modeling Based on Low-Flow and Snowmelt Tracer Studies for the Red River, New Mexico. U.S. Geological Survey Scientific Investigations Report 2005-5149.
Plumlee, G.S., Lowers, H., Koenig, A., Ludington, S. (2005) Questa baseline and pre-mining ground-water quality investigation. 13. Mineral microscopy and chemistry of mined and unmined porphyry molybdenum mineralization along the Red River, New Mexico: Implications for ground- and surface-water quality. US Geological Survey Open-File Report 2005-1442.
Nordstrom, D.K., McCleskey, R.B., Hunt, A.G., and Naus, C.A., (2005) Questa Baseline and Pre-Mining Ground-Water Quality Investigation. 14. Interpretation of ground-water geochemistry in catchments other than the Straight Creek catchment, Red River Valley, Taos County, New Mexico, 2002-2003. U.S. Geological Survey Scientific Investigations Report 2005-5050.
Blanchard, P.J., Bartolino, J.R., Donohoe, L.C., McAda, D.P., Naus, C. A., and Morin, R.H. (2006) Questa Baseline and Pre-Mining Ground-Water Quality Investigation. 15. Methods of phase II and III well installation and development and results of well logging, hydraulic testing, and water-level measurements in the Red River Valley, New Mexico, 2002-04: U.S. Geological Survey Scientific Investigations Report 2006-5246.
McCleskey, R.B. Nordstrom, D.K., and Naus, C.A. (2004) Questa Baseline and Pre-Mining Ground-Water Quality Investigation. 16. Quality assurance and quality control of water analyses. U.S. Geological Survey Open-File Report 2004-1341.
Vincent, K. (2008) Questa Baseline and Pre-Mining Ground-Water Quality Investigation. 17. Geomorphology of the Red River Valley, Taos County, New Mexico, and Influence on Ground-Water Flow in the Shallow Alluvial Aquifer: U.S. Geological Survey Scientific Investigations Report 2006-5156.
Caine, J.S. (2006) Questa Baseline and Pre-Mining Ground-Water Quality Investigation. 18.Characterization of Brittle Structures in the Questa Caldera and Their Potential Influence on Bedrock Ground-Water Flow, Red River Valley, New Mexico: U.S. Geological Survey Professional Paper 1729, p. 37.
Smith, K.S. and others (2006) Questa Baseline and Pre-Mining Ground-Water Quality Investigation. 19. Leaching Characteristics of Composited Materials from Mine Waste-Rock Piles and Naturally Altered Areas near Questa, New Mexico: U.S. Geological Survey Scientific Investigation Report 2006-5165.
Verplanck, P.L., McCleskey, R.B., and Nordstrom, D.K. (2006) Questa Baseline and Pre-Mining Ground-Water Quality Investigation. 20. Water chemistry of the Red River and selected seeps, tributaries, and precipitation, Taos County, New Mexico, 2000-2004. U.S. Geological Survey Scientific Investigations Report 2006-5028.
Naus, C.A., McAda, D.P., Myers, N.C. (2006), Questa Baseline and Pre-Mining Ground-Water Quality Investigation. 21. Hydrology and water balance of the Red River Basin, New Mexico 1930-2004. U.S.Geological Survey Scientific Investigations Report 2006-5040.
McAda, Douglas P. Naus, Cheryl A., 2008, Questa Baseline and Pre-Mining Ground-Water-Quality Investigation 22 - Ground-Water Budget for the Straight Creek Drainage Basin, Red River Valley, New Mexico U.S. Geological Survey Scientific Investigation Report 2007-5149, 34 p.Kimball, B.A., Nordstrom, D.K., Runkel, R.L., and Verplanck, P.L. (2006) Questa Baseline and Pre-Mining Ground-Water Quality Investigation. 23. Quantification of mass loading from mined and unmined areas along the Red River, New Mexico. U.S. Geological Survey Scientific Investigations Report 2006-5004.
Powers, Michael H., and Burton, Bethany L., 2006, Questa baseline and pre-mining ground-water quality investigation. 24. Seismic refraction tomography for volume analysis of saturated alluvium in the Straight Creek drainage and its confluence with Red River, Taos County, New Mexico: U.S. Geological Survey Scientific Investigation Report 2006-5166, 19 p.
Nordstrom, D.K., 2007, Questa baseline and pre-mining ground-water quality investigation. 25. Summary of results and baseline and pre-mining ground-water geochemistry, Red River Valley, Taos County, New Mexico, 2001-2005: U.S. Geological Survey Professional Paper 1728, p. 183.
Abstracts and Other Publications
Hunt, A.G., Naus, C.A., Nordstrom, D.K., and Landis, G.P.(2004) Use of 3-helium/tritium ages to determine chlorofluorocarbon degradation associated with naturally occurring acid drainage, Questa, New Mexico, in Geological Society of America, 2004 annual meeting.: Abstracts with Programs - Geological Society of America: Boulder, CO, p. 574.
Maest, A.S., Nordstrom, D.K., and LoVetere, S.H. (2004) Influence of hydrologic conditions on historical water quality in a stream affected by natural and mining-related sources, 1965-2001, in Geological Society of America, 2004 annual meeting.: Abstracts with Programs - Geological Society of America: Boulder, CO, p. 86.
Nordstrom, D.K., Naus, C.N., McCleskey, R.B., Verplanck, P.L. (2004) Contrasting ground-water geochemistry between acidic debris-flow waters and neutral-pH bedrock waters in mineralized volcanics, Red River valley, New Mexico, in Geological Society of America, 2004 annual meeting.: Abstracts with Programs - Geological Society of America: Boulder, CO, p. 465
McCleskey, R.B., Verplanck, P.L., and Nordstrom, D. K. (2004), Storm and diel surface-water chemistry variation in the Red River near Questa, New Mexico, in Geological Society of America, 2004 annual meeting.: Abstracts with Programs - Geological Society of America: Boulder, CO, p. 29.
Ball, J.W., Runkel, R.L., and Nordstrom, D.K. (2004) Geochemical and reactive-transport modeling based on low-flow and snowmelt tracer studies for the Red River, New Mexico, in Geological Society of America, 2004 annual meeting.: Abstracts with Programs - Geological Society of America: Boulder, CO, p. 29.
Verplanck, P.L., Nordstrom, D.K., Manning, A.H., Caine, J.S., Plumlee, G.S., Hunt, A.G., and Bove, D. (2004) Linking geochemical and hydrologic models of ground water in two Rocky Mountain catchments: Straight Creek, NM and Handcart Gulch, CO, in Geological Society of America, 2004 annual meeting.: Abstracts with Programs - Geological Society of America: Boulder, CO, p. 539.
Plumlee, G.S., Ludington, S., Caine, J.S., Bove, D.J., Holloway, J.M., Lowers, H.A., and Livo, K.E. (2004) Environmental geology of erosional scar areas developed above Climax-type molybedenite deposits in the Red River watershed, New Mexico, in Geological Society of America, 2004 annual meeting.: Abstracts with Programs - Geological Society of America: Boulder, CO, p. 465.
Nordstrom, D.K., 2005, A river on the edge – Water quality in the Red River and the USGS background study, in Price, L.G., Bland, Douglas, McLemore, V.T., and Barker, J.M., eds., Mining in New Mexico, Decision-Makers Conference 2005, Taos region, New Mexico Bureau of Geology and Mineral Resources, Socorro, New Mexico, 64-67.
Nordstrom, D.K., Verplanck, P.L., Naus, C.A., McCleskey, R.B., 2002, The Questa baseline and pre-mining ground-water quality investigation: preliminary data. [abs.]: Geological Society of America Abstracts with Programs v.34, no. 6, p. 51.
Nordstrom, D.K. ,Verplanck, P.L., Naus, C.A., Plumlee, G.S., McCleskey, R.B., 2003 A baseline and pre-mining ground-water quality investigation at the Questa molybdenum mine site, New Mexico, USA. [abs.]: 7th International Conference on the Biogeochemistry of Trace Elements, Uppsala, Sweden, June 15-19, 2003
- Publications
Below are publications associated with this project.
Filter Total Items: 26Questa Baseline and Pre-mining Ground-Water Quality Investigation, 7. A Pictorial Record of Chemical Weathering, Erosional Processes, and Potential Debris-flow Hazards in Scar Areas Developed on Hydrothermally Altered Rocks
Erosional scar areas developed along the lower Red River basin, New Mexico, reveal a complex natural history of mineralizing processes, rapid chemical weathering, and intense physical erosion during periodic outbursts of destructive, storm-induced runoff events. The scar areas are prominent erosional features with craggy headwalls and steep, denuded slopes. The largest scar areas, including, fAuthorsGeoffrey S. Plumlee, Steve Ludington, Kirk R. Vincent, Philip L. Verplanck, Jonathan S. Caine, K. Eric LivoQuesta baseline and pre-mining ground-water quality investigation. 25. Summary of results and baseline and pre-mining ground-water geochemistry, Red River Valley, Taos County, New Mexico, 2001-2005
Active and inactive mine sites are challenging to remediate because of their complexity and scale. Regulations meant to achieve environmental restoration at mine sites are equally challenging to apply for the same reasons. The goal of environmental restoration should be to restore contaminated mine sites, as closely as possible, to pre-mining conditions. Metalliferous mine sites in the Western UniAuthorsD. Kirk NordstromQuesta baseline and pre-mining ground-water quality investigation 22 — Groundwater budget for the Straight Creek drainage basin, Red River Valley, New Mexico, with a section on Sulphur Gulch water budget
In April 2001, the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) and the New Mexico Environment Department (NMED) began a cooperative study to infer the pre-mining ground-water chemistry at the Molycorp molybdenum mine site in the Red River Valley. The Molycorp mine has been in operation since the 1920s. Because ground-water conditions prior to mining are not available, sites analogous to the pre-mining conditionAuthorsDouglas P. McAda, Cheryl A. NausQuesta Baseline and Pre-Mining Ground-Water Quality Investigation. 17. Geomorphology of the Red River Valley, Taos County, New Mexico, and Influence on Ground-Water Flow in the Shallow Alluvial Aquifer
In April 2001, the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) and the New Mexico Environment Department (NMED) began a cooperative study to infer the pre-mining ground-water chemistry at the Molycorp molybdenum mine site in the Red River Valley of north-central New Mexico. This report is one in a series of reports that can be used to determine pre-mining ground-water conditions at the mine site. Molycorp?s QueAuthorsKirk R. VincentQuesta baseline and pre-mining ground-water quality investigation. 19. Leaching characteristics of composited materials from mine waste-rock piles and naturally altered areas near Questa, New Mexico
The goal of this study is to compare and contrast the leachability of metals and the acidity from individual mine waste-rock piles and natural erosional scars in the study area near Questa, New Mexico. Surficial multi-increment (composite) samples less than 2 millimeters in diameter from five waste-rock piles, nine erosional-scar areas, a less-altered site, and a tailings slurry-pipe sample were aAuthorsKathleen S. Smith, Philip L. Hageman, Paul H. Briggs, Stephen J. Sutley, R. Blaine McCleskey, K. Eric Livo, Philip L. Verplanck, Monique G. Adams, Pamela A. Gemery-HillQuesta Baseline and Pre-Mining Ground-Water Quality Investigation. 24. Seismic Refraction Tomography for Volume Analysis of Saturated Alluvium in the Straight Creek Drainage and Its Confluence With Red River, Taos County, New Mexico
As part of a research effort directed by the New Mexico Environment Department to determine pre-mining water quality of the Red River at a molybdenum mining site in northern New Mexico, we used seismic refraction tomography to create subsurface compressional-wave velocity images along six lines that crossed the Straight Creek drainage and three that crossed the valley of Red River. Field work wasAuthorsMichael H. Powers, Bethany L. BurtonQuesta baseline and pre-mining ground-water quality investigation 15.—Methods of phase II and III well installation and development and results of well logging, hydraulic testing, and water-level measurements in the Red River Valley, New Mexico, 2002-04
In April 2001, the U.S. Geological Survey and the New Mexico Environment Department began a cooperative study to infer the pre-mining ground-water chemistry at the Molycorp molybdenum mine site in the Red River Valley of north- central New Mexico. This report is one in a series of reports that can be used to determine pre-mining ground-water conditions at the mine site. Weathering of hydrothermAuthorsPaul J. Blanchard, James R. Bartolino, Lisa C. Donohoe, Douglas P. McAda, Cheryl A. Naus, Roger H. MorinQuesta baseline and premining ground-water quality investigation 18. Characterization of brittle structures in the Questa Caldera and their potential influence on bedrock ground-water flow, Red River Valley, New Mexico
This report presents a field-based characterization of fractured and faulted crystalline bedrock in the southern portion of the Questa caldera and its margin. The focus is (1) the identification and description of brittle geological structures and (2) speculation on the potential effects and controls that these structures might have on the potential fluxes of paleo to present-day ground water in rAuthorsJonathan S. CaineQuesta baseline and pre-mining ground-water quality investigation. 21. Hydrology and water balance of the Red River Basin, New Mexico, 1930-2004
A study of the hydrology of the Red River Basin of northern New Mexico, including development of a pre- mining water balance, contributes to a greater understanding of processes affecting the flow and chemistry of water in the Red River and its alluvial aquifer. Estimates of mean annual precipitation for the Red River Basin ranged from 22.32 to 25.19 inches. Estimates of evapotranspiration for theAuthorsCheryl A. Naus, Douglas P. McAda, Nathan C. MyersQuesta baseline and pre-mining ground-water quality investigation. 23. Quantification of mass loading from mined and unmined areas along the Red River, New Mexico
Along the course of the Red River, between the town of Red River, New Mexico, and the U.S. Geological Survey streamflow-gaging station near Questa, New Mexico, there are several catchments that contain hydrothermally altered bedrock. Some of these alteration zones have been mined and others have not, presenting an opportunity to evaluate differences that may exist in the mass loading of metals froAuthorsBriant A. Kimball, D. Kirk Nordstrom, Robert L. Runkel, Kirk R. Vincent, Phillip L. VerplanckQuesta baseline and pre-mining ground-water quality investigation. 20. Water chemistry of the Red River and selected seeps, tributaries, and precipitation, Taos County, New Mexico, 2000-2004
As part of a multi-year project to infer the pre-mining ground-water quality at Molycorp's Questa mine site, surface-water samples of the Red River, some of its tributaries, seeps, and snow samples were collected for analysis of inorganic solutes and of water and sulfate stable isotopes in selected samples. The primary aim of this study was to document diel, storm event, and seasonal variations iAuthorsP. L. Verplanck, R. Blaine McCleskey, D. Kirk NordstromQuesta baseline and premining ground-water quality investigation. 8. Lake-sediment geochemical record from 1960 to 2002, Eagle Rock and Fawn Lakes, Taos County, New Mexico
Geochemical studies of lake sediment from Eagle Rock Lake and upper Fawn Lake were conducted to evaluate the effect of mining at the Molycorp Questa porphyry molybdenum deposit located immediately north of the Red River. Two cores were taken, one from each lake near the outlet where the sediment was thinnest, and they were sampled at 1-cm intervals to provide geochemical data at less than 1-year rAuthorsS. E. Church, D. L. Fey, M. E. Marot