DURANGO, Colo. — La Plata County Sheriff Sean Smith has opened the Animas River for recreational use, following state analysis that says levels of contamination are safe for human recreation.
The Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment said in a statement that levels of contamination in the Animas River have returned to levels below what would be a concern for human health during typical recreational exposure.
This comes 9 days after crew members struck a wall at the Gold King Mine north of Silverton and caused 3 million gallons of toxic waste to be discharged into Cement Creek before it flowed down the Animas, turning the river a deep orange and leaving an orange sludge behind along the river banks.
The contamination was declared a disaster emergency by Colorado Governor John Hickenlooper, who toured the river Tuesday.
The County Sheriff closed the Animas River to recreational activities on Aug. 6. It has been reopened as of Friday at noon according to the state health department’s finding and recommendation, with a health advisory.
The Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry recommends the following recommendations are prudent public health practices regarding contact with sediments and surface water:
- Don’t drink untreated water from the river
- Wash hands thoroughly with soap and water after contact with the sediment and surface water.
- Avoid contact in areas where there is visible discoloration in sediment or river water.
- Wash clothes after contact with sediments and surface water.
“We are going to be fully accountable for this in a transparent way,” Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Gina McCarthy said at a news conference. “The EPA takes full responsibility for this incident. No agency could be more upset.”
The EPA sediment samples collected in the Animas from Baker’s Bridge to north of Durango have been analyzed but not yet validated. The preliminary results show that levels for antimony, lead, silver and thallium were in “minor exceedances of background concentrations,” but below risk screening levels.
The Colorado Department of Agriculture State Veterinarian’s Office is confident that water from the Animas River can be used to water livestock.
“The information we have received shows that water quality levels are comparable to those prior to the spill,” said Dr. Carl Heckendorf, State Veterinarian for the Colorado Department of Agriculture. “We will continue to monitor the situation and will provide updates if it becomes necessary.”
La Plata County has flushed and allowed use of some irrigation ditches for watering crops such as wheat and alfalfa. The county is systematically working to reopen all ditches
Officials said that local, tribal, state and federal agencies will continue to test water and sediment routinely and will respond quickly to any potential issues. Once EPA sediment data is validated, it will be posted online at on the EPA’s website.