DENVER — Researchers who studied a southwestern Colorado river after a massive mine spill say runoff from autumn storms kicked up the levels of some contaminants in the river but not others.
A report released by the Environmental Protection Agency Friday may offer clues about what will happen this year when melting mountain snow makes the Animas River run higher, potentially stirring up pollutants that settled to the bottom.
The EPA inadvertently triggered a 3-million-gallon spill from the Gold King Mine in August during cleanup work. Rivers in Colorado, New Mexico and Utah were polluted.
The Mountain Studies Institute in Silverton monitored the river about 60 miles downstream from the mine for the EPA. Its report said concentrations of six contaminants increased after some storms while levels of five others decreased. Seven didn't change.
