Project Summary:

The Ely Copper Mine Superfund Site in the Vermont copper belt exploited Besshi-type massive sulfide deposits. The site was mined intermittently for copper from 1821 to 1920 and the site is known to be contributing trace elements and acidity to local waterways. The site was added to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) National Priorities List in 2001 due to aquatic ecosystem impacts [For more information see USEPA website].

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At present, the impact of the abandoned mine on the aquatic ecosystem is poorly understood. The USGS in cooperation with the USEPA began conducting a detailed assessment of the biological integrity of Ely Brook, Schoolhouse Brook, and the Ompompanoosuc River in 2006. The major objective of the study is to characterize the chemistry of surface water, pore water, and sediment, along with assessing the benthic invertebrate and fish communities at selected reaches in order to: (1) Provide a detailed characterization of surface water, pore water, and sediment chemistry and the biological community (macroinvertebrates and fish); (2) Compare and contrast surface-water, pore-water, and sediment trace-element concentrations; (3) ) Determine trace-element concentrations in fish, which USEPA will use to establish the degree that concentrations are toxic to the fish, as well as identify the risk to wildlife and humans from consumption of the fish; and (4) Evaluate the toxicity of surface water, pore water, and sediment.

Results from this study will contribute to an understanding of the relations among the chemical, physical, and biological components of waterways that are affected by acid rock drainage. Information from these results will be used in the development of a remedial investigation and feasibility study plan for the site. Ultimately, this information will be used in making decisions for remedial actions necessary to mitigate contamination from the mines, and for developing a longer-term monitoring program to assess the effectiveness of remediation. A USGS report summarizing study results will be available in 2009.