| Peru Creek, located in Summit County, Colorado, is a mountain stream affected by acid mine drainage, due to the presence of several abandoned silver mines, the largest of which is the Pennsylvania Mine. The result is an acidic and metal-rich stream environment, unable to sustain aquatic life. Previous studies have shown that the Pennsylvania Mine is a significant contributor of dissolved metals in Peru Creek. A tracer experiment coupled with synoptic sampling was conducted along a 7-km stretch of Peru Creek in the drought year of 2002 to identify specific sources of metal loading. The study showed that the downstream reach spanning Warden Gulch was an important diffuse source of several dissolved metals. Two additional tracer experiments were conducted in 2004 and 2005, focusing on the Pennsylvania Mine and Warden Gulch areas, respectively, to further investigate metal loading during more representative hydrologic conditions. (Abstract shortened by UMI.)... |
