Mine plug blows near Silverton, dumping 1M galls of waste
A mine waste spill has spewed about a million gallons of orange-colored discharge into a tributary of the Animas River.
Environmental authorities are scrambling to assess damage from the leak, caused when a plug blew at the Gold King Mine near Silverton. Officials say that drinking water is not affected.
The Environmental Protection Agency says that about 1 million gallons of mine waste spewed into Cement Creek, which feeds the Animas.
Radio Durango reports that the city has shut down water intakes until the contaminated water has passed.
The mine spill flooded several San Juan County roads Wednesday. No injuries have been reported.
The Colorado Department of Public Health and the Environment says that there are no fish populations in the Cement Creek watershed because of longstanding water quality impairment.
