Animas River fouled by 1 million gallons of contaminated mine water

[El Supremo]

Source: The Denver Post

About 1 million gallons of mine wastewater spilled into a tributary of the Animas River in San Juan County on Wednesday triggered by the Environmental Protection Agency as it was investigating contamination at an abandoned mine.

Health and environmental officials are evaluating the river, and officials say the mine water is acidic and contains high levels of sediment and metals. Authorities say the spill is threatening water quality and had prompted warnings to agricultural and recreational water users.

Downstream in Durango, where the wastewater is expected to reach by 3 p.m., city officials are asking residents to cut back on their water use and irrigation of city land at local Fort Lewis College has been stopped.

Photos from the area showed the river's waters turned a thick, radiant orange. It is approximately 55 miles from the mine to Durango.


Silverton, Colorado

Read more: http://www.denverpost.com/news/ci_28595759/animas-river-contaminated-by-1-million-gallons-contaminated

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I'm not against the EPA, but this is a major screw-up.

These old mines are an enormous environmental disaster for Colorado that will last for centuries.

[Paladin]

1. Yeah, that stream's trout won't be fit to eat for a long, long time.

Business as usual in Colorado; damn shame.

[KT2000]

2. Wter during drought

will obviously go to the polluters. Another man-made disaster for profits.

[likesmountains 52]

3. I'm just sick about this...almost my front yard.

http://www.durangoherald.com/article/20150806/NEWS01/150809765/River-users-warned-of-mine-waste-approaching-Durango-

[Shrike47]

4. Due to historic mining practices,there were no fish in the river anyway. I expect more of my EPA.

[Miigwech]

5. "Mine baby mine!"

Remember those chants by numnuts, cheering their Sarah Palin, queen of the numnuts? .... well I feel so sad for the people all along this river . I have spent time in that area, many years ago. But there are plenty of folks there, who support the mining industry ,so, to them I say, ain't Karma a bitch?

[Marrah_G]

6. Thats a damn shame

My brother used to run a white water rafting company in Durango. The pictures I saw were beautiful.

[catchnrelease]

7. Oh no!

So heartbreaking. I have great love for the Animas and that area. My husband and I, both native Californians, met there in the early 90s. He taught me how to fish in the Animas just below Durango, and I caught my first trout there.

I swear, humans just keep ruining everything on this planet. It's just more depressing news every day.