SILVERTON, Colo. (AP) — The Environmental Protection Agency is studying whether it can close a dam inside a southwestern Colorado mountain to stop a leak of contaminated mine water into the Animas River.
The manmade dam was installed in 2004 at the abandoned Red and Bonita Mine. That’s near the site of the 2015 Gold King Mine disaster that released millions of gallons of toxic wastewater.
Some 300 gallons of toxic water are released each week from the site above the town of Silverton.
Closing the dam carries the risk of redirecting toxic flows emerging from the mountain through a maze of abandoned mine shafts or natural seeps and springs.
The Denver Post reports the agency hopes to shut the dam next year.