Community Corner
Potential Mine Discharge In Lefthand Creek Under Investigation
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the Colorado Department of Public Health looking into discharge and fish kill near Superfund site.
BOULDER COUNTY, CO -- The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment are investigating potential mine discharge and fish kill in the upper portions of Boulder County's Left Hand Creek, the tributary that runs down Lefthand Canyon into St. Vrain Creek. Superfund managers were notified Tuesday of discolored water and dead fish downstream of the Captain Jack Mill Superfund site, according to a press release from the EPA.
The Left Hand Water District shut off a drinking water intake roughly 15 miles downstream of the affected area as a precautionary measure, but it has been opened again after tested specimens met water quality standards. James Creek has a confluence with Left Hand Creek below the Captain Jack Mill site but above the water intake, which the EPA notes likely helped to dilute any possible contaminants.
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The EPA and the state health department are currently working to determine if the observed fish kill, estimated to be in the low 100s, is related to cleanup activities at the site.
The Captain Jack Mill Superfund site is located east of the Peak to Peak highway along the creek, and was issued its Record of Decision in 2008. The EPA and the state health department have been working together to address possible contamination from historic mining operations in the area. As a part of those operations, a flow-through bulkhead was installed in the Big Five tunnel to control the discharge of mining-influenced water to about 30 gallons per minute.
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The Left Hand Water District, the Boulder County Health Department and the Boulder County Office of Emergency Management were all notified of the incident, while the Colorado Parks and Wildlife staff already had been alerted by a local resident.
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Photo Credit: John Greim/Shutterstock
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