Project Summary:

The Pike Hill Superfund site is contributing metals and highly acidic waters to Pike Hill Brook, which drains the northeast slope of Pike Hill in Corinth, Vt. Pike Hill Brook flows for approximately 2 miles before entering a series of natural wetlands and then flows approximately 1.5 miles before it enters the Waits River in the Connecticut River watershed. The Pike Hill Mine area contains exploited massive sulfide deposits for the copper content. The host rocks typically offer limited acid-neutralizing potential, but the Pike Hill deposits contain significant amounts of carbonate minerals.

At present, the nature and extent of contamination at the site are poorly understood. This study is a six-part, multi-discipline investigation into the nature and extent of mine-related contamination. Objectives are to (1) Provide detailed characterization of solid mine wastes, mineralogy, and geochemistry; (2) Provide a detailed characterization of mine-drainage environments; (3) Characterize the hydrology (streamflow); (4) Assess the concentrations and metal loads from the site over an annual cycle; (5) Investigate the natural wetlands as a sink for metals leaving the site; and (6) Investigate the impact of metal loading on the macroinvertebrate community.

The study will likely produce two USGS reports on: (1) Mine drainage and solid waste characterization and (2) Streamflow, water-quality, wetlands characterization, and macroinvertebrate characterization.