Is the San Juan river polluted?
Is the San Juan river polluted?
After river disaster, Navajo doubts about pollution linger The maximum level set by the EPA for chromium in drinking water is 0.01 ppm. Investigators found the lead concentration in the San Juan jumped from 7.8 to 9.9 ppm. The EPA says any lead contamination in drinking water is unsafe.
How did the Gold King mine spill affect humans?
The effects of the Gold King Mine spill on the Navajo Nation has included damage to their crops, home gardens, and cattle herds. The Navajo Nation ceased irrigating their crops from the San Juan River on August 7, 2015.
Is the San Juan River freshwater?
The river drains a high, arid region of the Colorado Plateau. Along its length, it is often the only significant source of fresh water for many miles. The San Juan is also one of the muddiest rivers in North America, carrying an average of 25 million US tons (22.6 million t) of silt and sediment each year.
What the EPA was doing when it sent yellow sludge spilling into a Colorado creek?
What the EPA was doing when it sent yellow sludge spilling into a Colorado creek. The whole point of the project was to make Colorado’s water safer.
Who cleaned the Gold King Mine spill?
DENVER — The State of Colorado and the federal government reached an agreement Friday with a mining company on who’s responsible for paying for cleanup of the Gold King Mine – more than six years after 3 million gallons of acidic waste spilled from the site. Under the agreement, the Sunnyside Gold Corp.
How did they cleaned up the Gold King Mine spill?
As water exits the mine, the water flows into a system of four treatment ponds. The treatment ponds provide retention time to allow the addition of lime to neutralize the pH. Substances to treat water are added during the process to settle the metals to the bottom of the retention ponds.
Can you canoe the San Juan River?
The San Juan is a great river for beginners to practice their paddling and rowing skills. Waterfalls pour into the San Juan after a spring storm. Photo courtesy of Conor Bell. While rafts and duckies are the most popular choice of craft for the San Juan, many people elect to take canoes.
What is the San Juan River known for?
The San Juan River runs through a large amount of desert landscape and is the most significant source of fresh water in parts of the Navajo Indian Reservation that dominates the area. The river is also a popular destination for whitewater rafting and fishing.
Who owns the Gold King Mine?
The GKM shipped 711,144 tons of gold and silver ore while in operation. The mine has been inactive since then. It is currently owned by San Juan Corporation. The GKM is located in the Upper Animas Watershed in southwestern Colorado.
What caused the Gold King disaster?
The Gold King disaster was caused by a contract EPA crew that was checking out the mine for future cleanup work. As they used heavy machinery to peel back a layer of rock and dirt covering the opening — or adit — orange-colored water began spilling out.
Who paid for the Gold King Mine spill cleaned up?
The EPA, the departments of the Interior and Agriculture will, for their part, make a payment of $45 million toward the cleanup under the deal. Colorado-based Sunnyside, Toronto-based Kinross and the federal entities do not admit to any liability in the proposed consent decree which is subject to court approval.
Who caused the Gold King Mine spill?
The Gold King Mine spill occurred at the Gold King Mine—an abandoned mine near Silverton, Colorado—in August 2015. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) personnel and a company under EPA contract triggered the release of toxic wastewater in an attempt to remove such wastewater from the mine.