Toxic sludge spilled from mine into Colorado river reaches New Mexico

The accident, caused by the Environmental Protection Agency during a clean-up operation Wednesday, triggered a toxic plume turning the beloved, crystal clear Animas the color of mustard. “Needless to say, the health of our community and recreation-based economy depends heavily on water quality”. “We were trying to reach that drainage coming off the Gold King Mine”. McGrath could not say how long.

“They knew that that was going to flow right into the state and we could’ve worked faster and harder to minimize the impact on the state”, Martinez said. “The sediment, the metals that are in that sediment, are going to settle out to the stream bottom”, he said.

“We really believed it wasn’t as much water as we ended up seeing”.

“We will have to do long-term monitoring and probably more closures in the future”, he said.

The mine has been inactive since 1923.

“There’s not a lot we can do. It’s significant and when that’s your livelihood and there are many on our ditch who are farmers and that’s their livelihood”, said Danene Sherwood, a San Juan County, New Mexico resident.

La Plata County director of emergency management Butch Knowlton said the sludge would be tested one way or another to protect public health. The river will be closed until further notice as the EPA conducts tests on water samples.

This morning in Farmington’s Berg Park, Phyllis Benally walked by the side of the river, thinking about the pollution washing through. But McGrath said conversations about a listing are ongoing. “The EPA failed to follow their own procedures – they admitted it. Now they need to help out the community economically”.

Though the spill happened on Wednesday, the EPA didn’t tell anyone about it until the next business day.

An acidity at pH 3.74 is comparable to Dr. Pepper or orange juice, according to a table EPA information officers released.

Officials estimated that the plume crossing into New Mexico had stretched to 80 miles in length by the time it reached Farmington.

The New Mexico Environment Department continues working with local, regional, and federal stakeholders to advise San Juan County citizens of safety precautions, while updating those affected about the Gold King Mine Spill’s pulse location and effects.

Water users downstream have been warned by Federal and Colorado health officials to avoid activities in the water until the contaminated water passes by.

The river contaminated flows into other river systems such as the San Juan River that goes into New Mexico and Utah. Aerial photos showed the slow-moving yellow water snaking by scenic mountain roads surrounded by pine trees.

The orange colour was caused not only by the highly acidic water but also the presence of heavy metals like iron, aluminium, cadmium, zinc, and copper, an EPA worker told the Durango Herald. The actions include inspecting the EPA’s efforts in accordance to various laws in place involving endangered species, hazardous contamination and spills. Lead poisoning can create muscle and vision problems for adults, harm development in fetuses and lead to kidney disease, developmental problems and sometimes death in children, the EPA said. Majure said the state is also looking at other sources of water for livestock.