Application of Tracer-Injection Techniques to Demonstrate Surface-Water and Ground-Water Interactions Between an Alpine Stream and the North Star Mine, Upper Animas River Watershed, Southwestern ColoradoBy Winfield G. Wright and Bryan MooreAvailable from the U.S. Geological Survey, Branch of Information Services, Box 25286, Denver Federal Center, Denver, CO 80225, USGS Water-Resources Investigations Report 03-4172, 29 p., 17 figs. This document also is available in pdf format:
WRIR 03-4172.pdf (7.9 MB) The citation for this report, in USGS format, is as follows: AbstractTracer-injection studies were done in Belcher Gulch in the upper Animas River watershed, southwestern Colorado, to determine whether the alpine stream infiltrates into underground mine workings of the North Star Mine and other nearby mines in the area. The tracer-injection studies were designed to determine if and where along Belcher Gulch the stream infiltrates into the mine. Four separate tracer-injec-tion tests were done using lithium bromide (LiBr), optical brightener dye, and sodium chloride (NaCl) as tracer solu-tions. Two of the tracers (LiBr and dye) were injected con-tinuously for 24 hours, one of the NaCl tracers was injected continuously for 12 hours, and one of the NaCl tracers was injected over a period of 1 hour. Concentration increases of tracer constituents were detected in water discharging from the North Star Mine, substantiating a surface-water and ground-water connection between Belcher Gulch and the North Star Mine. Different timing and magnitude of tracer breakthroughs indicated multiple flow paths with different residence times from the stream to the mine. The Pittsburgh and Sultan Mines were thought to physically connect to the North Star Mine, but tracer breakthroughs were inconclusive in water from these mines. From the tracer-injection tests and synoptic measure-ments of streamflow discharge, a conceptual model was devel-oped for surface-water and ground-water interactions between Belcher Gulch and the North Star Mine. This information, combined with previous surface geophysical surveys indicat-ing the presence of subsurface voids, may assist with decision-making process for preventing infiltration and for the remedia-tion of mine drainage from these mines. ContentsAbstract Introduction Description of Study Area Purpose and Scope Previous Studies Water-Quality Sampling Surface Geophysics Methods of Study Tracer-Injection Methods Continuous-Injection Tests Slug-Injection Test Sample Collection Discharge Determinations Interpretation of Tracer-Injection Data Results of Tracer Recovery and Discharge Measurements Tracer Recovery at the North Star Mine Continuous-Injection Tests Slug-Injection Test Tracer Recovery at Other Sites Discharge of Springs, Streams, and Mine Outflows Surface-Water and Ground-Water Interactions at the North Star Mine Summary References Cited Appendix—Supplemental Information Laboratory Analytical Methods Instrument Calibrations Quality Assurance
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