Western view toward the Red Mountains near Silverton, Colorado, taken just upstream from the North Fork Cement Creek drainage in 2006. The photo illustrates acidic drainage (red drainage at right) and less acidic drainage (white drainage at left of photo) that originates from altered rocks and mines in the watershed.
Upper Animas River Basin Abandoned Mine Lands Initiative
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.
Gold King Mine release (2015): USGS water-quality data and activities
USGS Abandoned Mine Lands Initiative
Below are data or web applications associated with this project.
Calibration datasets and model archive summaries for regression models developed to estimate metal concentrations at nine sites on the Animas and San Juan Rivers, Colorado, New Mexico, and Utah
Below are multimedia items associated with this project.
Western view toward the Red Mountains near Silverton, Colorado, taken just upstream from the North Fork Cement Creek drainage in 2006. The photo illustrates acidic drainage (red drainage at right) and less acidic drainage (white drainage at left of photo) that originates from altered rocks and mines in the watershed.
Below are publications associated with this project.
Integrated investigations of environmental effects of historical mining in the Animas River Watershed, San Juan County, Colorado
Estimating metal concentrations with regression analysis and water-quality surrogates at nine sites on the Animas and San Juan Rivers, Colorado, New Mexico, and Utah
Evaluating remedial alternatives for an acid mine drainage stream: A model post audit
An approach to quantify sources, seasonal change, and biogeochemical processes affecting metal loading in streams: Facilitating decisions for remediation of mine drainage
Geochemical data for Upper Mineral Creek, Colorado, under existing ambient conditions and during an experimental pH modification, August 2005
Copper isotope fractionation in acid mine drainage
Naturally acidic surface and ground waters draining porphyry-related mineralized areas of the Southern Rocky Mountains, Colorado and New Mexico
Application of iron and zinc isotopes to track the sources and mechanisms of metal loading in a mountain watershed
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
A comparison of pre- and post-remediation water quality, Mineral Creek, Colorado
Metals fate and transport modelling in streams and watersheds: state of the science and USEPA workshop review
Environmental effects of historical mining in the Animas River watershed, southwestern Colorado
Geochemistry of Surface and Ground Water in Cement Creek from Gladstone to Georgia Gulch and in Prospect Gulch, San Juan County, Colorado
Current Streamflow and Water-Quality Monitoring at Select Sites in the Animas and San Juan River Basins, Colorado, New Mexico, and Utah
The USGS monitors current streamflow and water-quality conditions at various sites in the Animas and San Juan River Basins in Colorado, New Mexico, and Utah, including areas below the Gold King Mine release area. These streamgages provide continuous data on streamflow and select water-quality constituents including specific conductance, water temperature, pH, and turbidity.
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.
Gold King Mine release (2015): USGS water-quality data and activities
USGS Abandoned Mine Lands Initiative
Below are data or web applications associated with this project.
Calibration datasets and model archive summaries for regression models developed to estimate metal concentrations at nine sites on the Animas and San Juan Rivers, Colorado, New Mexico, and Utah
Below are multimedia items associated with this project.
Western view toward the Red Mountains near Silverton, Colorado, taken just upstream from the North Fork Cement Creek drainage in 2006. The photo illustrates acidic drainage (red drainage at right) and less acidic drainage (white drainage at left of photo) that originates from altered rocks and mines in the watershed.
Western view toward the Red Mountains near Silverton, Colorado, taken just upstream from the North Fork Cement Creek drainage in 2006. The photo illustrates acidic drainage (red drainage at right) and less acidic drainage (white drainage at left of photo) that originates from altered rocks and mines in the watershed.
Below are publications associated with this project.
Integrated investigations of environmental effects of historical mining in the Animas River Watershed, San Juan County, Colorado
Estimating metal concentrations with regression analysis and water-quality surrogates at nine sites on the Animas and San Juan Rivers, Colorado, New Mexico, and Utah
Evaluating remedial alternatives for an acid mine drainage stream: A model post audit
An approach to quantify sources, seasonal change, and biogeochemical processes affecting metal loading in streams: Facilitating decisions for remediation of mine drainage
Geochemical data for Upper Mineral Creek, Colorado, under existing ambient conditions and during an experimental pH modification, August 2005
Copper isotope fractionation in acid mine drainage
Naturally acidic surface and ground waters draining porphyry-related mineralized areas of the Southern Rocky Mountains, Colorado and New Mexico
Application of iron and zinc isotopes to track the sources and mechanisms of metal loading in a mountain watershed
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
A comparison of pre- and post-remediation water quality, Mineral Creek, Colorado
Metals fate and transport modelling in streams and watersheds: state of the science and USEPA workshop review
Environmental effects of historical mining in the Animas River watershed, southwestern Colorado
Geochemistry of Surface and Ground Water in Cement Creek from Gladstone to Georgia Gulch and in Prospect Gulch, San Juan County, Colorado
Current Streamflow and Water-Quality Monitoring at Select Sites in the Animas and San Juan River Basins, Colorado, New Mexico, and Utah
The USGS monitors current streamflow and water-quality conditions at various sites in the Animas and San Juan River Basins in Colorado, New Mexico, and Utah, including areas below the Gold King Mine release area. These streamgages provide continuous data on streamflow and select water-quality constituents including specific conductance, water temperature, pH, and turbidity.