<\/p>\n
A hiker\u2019s report of \u201corange-colored\u201d water flowing from an abandoned mine into the South Fork of the West Mancos River Monday triggered an investigation by the Colorado Division of Reclamation Mining and Safety.<\/p>\n
The mine drainage in upper Owen Basin of the La Plata Mountains was not a spill or acute release, according to DRMS<\/a>.<\/p>\n An investigation by a DRMS mine specialist concluded the hiker saw \u201ca perennial discharge from a mine that has likely been occurring since the mine closed over 100 years ago,\u201d said Chris Arend, communications director for the Colorado Department of Natural Resources<\/a>.<\/p>\n The hiker, Marty Stecher of Mancos, saw water flowing from the mine portal last week, then again Monday.<\/p>\n The water flowed into the South Fork of the West Mancos River between Hesperus and Spiller Peak in eastern Montezuma County.<\/p>\n \u201cWhat caught my attention last week was that upstream of the mine, the river looked pristine. But downstream, the creek bed had a buildup of an orange-colored deposit,\u201d Stecher said.<\/p>\n The DMRS staffer met with Stecher and got near to the discharge site, Arend said. No mine waste was visible in the creek a few miles downstream of the mine, but an estimated 5 to 10 gallons were discharging per minute.<\/p>\n Upon further investigation, and after reviewing Stecher\u2019s photos and descriptive location, it was determined the draining mine water has been occurring over some time and was not a \u201cspill\u201d or acute release.<\/p>\n \u201cColorado has thousands of \u2018prelaw\u2019 mines across the state, and the DRMS Inactive Mines program is diligently working through remediation at these mines each year,\u201d Arend said.<\/p>\n An analysis of abandoned mines in Rush Basin, southwest of Owen Basin, was completed recently, a DRMS official said.<\/p>\n An abandoned mine, or prelaw mine, as defined by the Surface Mine Control and Reclamation Act, ceased operation before 1977 and has no responsible party.<\/p>\n It was unclear how much the mine has impacted water quality or if it\u2019s also from the surrounding geology. It is listed as an underground mine on the DRMS GIS map<\/a>.<\/p>\n It is not uncommon for old mines to \u201cburp up\u201d mineral-laden orange water, state mine officials said.<\/p>\n Stecher reached out to The Journal<\/em> and The Durango Herald<\/em> about his concerns.<\/p>\n \u201cIt is concerning to see because the Mancos River is used by the public. We drink that water, use it on farms,\u201d Stecher said.<\/p>\n When contacted Monday, DRMS said it was not aware of a mine discharge site at that location, and sent a mine specialist based in Durango to investigate Monday afternoon.<\/p>\n Stecher has come across other discolored bodies of water on his forays into the backcountry. Last year, two beaver ponds near the Mancos River had a distinct blue hue.<\/p>\n \u201cTo me that does not look right either,\u201d he said, adding that the ponds have since become clearer.<\/p>\n If a member of the public sees a discharge from a mine, they are asked contact DRMS at 303-866-3567 or email dmg_web@state.co.us<\/a>. For more background, see DRMS\u2019 Inactive Mine Reclamations website at: https:\/\/bit.ly\/3ievC13<\/a><\/p>\n