The Stream, August 7: One Million Gallons of Mine Waste Released Into Animas River in Colorado

The Global Rundown

One million gallons of mine waste water have been accidentally released into a river in Colorado. Researchers in Canada have developed a device that rides on the back of a fish and measures water quality. Flooding in Myanmar has the president urging residents to evacuate.

“Upon suspending work last year, the EPA backfilled the portal to the mine. On (Wednesday), while the EPA was removing the backfill from the portal to the Gold King Mine to continue its investigation this year, the plug blew out releasing contaminated water behind the backfill.” — Nancy Argo, attorney from Durango, Colorado, on 1 million gallons of mine waste water released into the Animas River. (Denver Post)

By The Numbers

1 million gallons – Amount of mine waste water released into the Animas River of Colorado on Wednesday. The water was released accidentally during an EPA investigation of pollution at the mine. The water contains heavy metals such as zinc, iron and copper, and has turned the river orange and sludge-like. Warnings have been sent to water users downstream while the situation is evaluated. Denver Post

Science, Studies, And Reports

A device that can be attached to the back of a fish and measures dissolved oxygen concentrations in water has been developed at the International Institute for Sustainable Development’s Experimental Lakes Area in Canada. Dissolved oxygen is important for the survival of many fish, and is often threatened by excess nutrients. It is also a difficult water quality parameter to measure. The new device gives scientists the ability to continually monitor changes in dissolved oxygen. International Institute for Sustainable Development

On The Radar

The president of Myanmar has urged residents of the low-lying Ayeyarwady delta to evacuate as flood waters rise. The flooding is the result of heavy monsoon rains, and has killed 81 people in the country since it started last week. Reuters