Another Mine Spills into Animas River

By Cindy Yurth - October 13, 2019 at 12:00AM

Navajo Times File Photo
The Animas River, contaminated by an orange-colored wastewater, flows into the San Juan River in this Aug. 2015 file photo.

Published October 13, 2019

WINDOW ROCK — Another mine has released wastewater into the Animas River.

Both the New Mexico Environment Department and the San Juan County Office of Emergency Management reported today that they were notified by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency of a wastewater spill from the Silver Wing Mine in the area of Eureka Gulch, north of Silverton, Colorado, which occurred Wednesday afternoon.

According to the San Juan OEM, the spill was the result of a “burp” from the mine and is unrelated to either the Gold King Mine or the Bonita Peak Superfund site.

The source is 10 miles from the Animas River and the spill was expected to dilute by the time it reached Silverton. The spill was moving slowly and was expected to reach the San Juan River.

So far, “Data do not currently indicate any evidence of water quality impacts that could affect human health and the environment,” stated NMED in a press release, adding that the department will continue to monitor the situation.

Although the EPA has not issued a notice to close municipal drinking water supplies, the cities of Farmington and Aztec, New Mexico and the Lower Valley Water Users Association have shut off water intakes to municipal drinking water supplies “out of an abundance of caution.”

Neither the volume of the spill nor the contents of the water were known as of 4 p.m. Thursday. EPA officials were conducting tests to learn more.

Yolanda Barney, program manager for the Navajo Nation Environmental Protection Agency’s Public Water Supply Program, said Thursday NNEPA is aware of spill and is still gathering information.

Sources in Durango, Colorado, reported Thursday the river appears normal.

In 2015, a breach in the abandoned Gold King Mine near Silverton released three million gallons of wastewater into the Animas, causing the river to run orange and closing irrigation canals on the Navajo Nation.

Editor’s Note: This article was first published in the Navajo Times. Used with permission. All rights reserved. 

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