Synoptic sampling data from Illinois Gulch and Iron Springs near Breckenridge, Colorado, August 2016 and September 2017

Dates

Publication Date: 2019-11-21
Start Date: 2016-08-05
End Date: 2017-09-07

Citation

Runkel, R.L., Verplanck, P.L., McCleskey, R.B., Walton-Day, K., and Byrne, P., 2019, Synoptic sampling data from Illinois Gulch and Iron Springs near Breckenridge, Colorado, August 2016 and September 2017: U.S. Geological Survey data release, https://doi.org/10.5066/P9VNIGJZ.

Summary

Two synoptic sampling campaigns were conducted near Breckenridge, Colorado, to quantify metal loading to Illinois Gulch, a tributary of the Blue River. The first campaign, conducted in August 2016, was designed to determine the degree to which Illinois Gulch loses water to the underlying mine workings, and to determine the effect of these losses on observed metal loads. The second campaign, conducted in September 2017, was designed to evaluate metal loading within Iron Springs, a subwatershed that was responsible for the majority of the metal loading observed in 2016. A continuous, instream injection of a sodium bromide (NaBr) tracer was initiated at the head of the respective study reaches several days prior to both synoptic sampling [...]

Summary

Two synoptic sampling campaigns were conducted near Breckenridge, Colorado, to quantify metal loading to Illinois Gulch, a tributary of the Blue River. The first campaign, conducted in August 2016, was designed to determine the degree to which Illinois Gulch loses water to the underlying mine workings, and to determine the effect of these losses on observed metal loads. The second campaign, conducted in September 2017, was designed to evaluate metal loading within Iron Springs, a subwatershed that was responsible for the majority of the metal loading observed in 2016. A continuous, instream injection of a sodium bromide (NaBr) tracer was initiated at the head of the respective study reaches several days prior to both synoptic sampling campaigns and maintained throughout the duration of each study. Bromide concentrations were subsequently used to determine streamflow in gaining stream reaches using the tracer-dilution method, and as an indicator of hydrologic connections between the Illinois Gulch and subsurface mine workings. Streamflow losses to the mine workings were quantified using a series of magnesium chloride (MgCl₂) slug additions conducted in August 2016, wherein specific conductivity readings were used as a surrogate for the tracer concentration. Study results indicate that Illinois Gulch loses water in the vicinity of the Puzzle Extension Shaft, and that water leaving the stream enters the subsurface mine workings. These losses are evidenced by the results of the slug additions and the elevated bromide concentrations observed at a collapsed mine portal in the Iron Springs subwatershed (Willard Adit 1). The primary sources of metal loading to the overall Illinois Gulch study reach include diffuse springs and groundwater near the toe of the Iron Springs mine dump and Willard Adit 1.

This data release consists of 8 tables:

Table 1, Locations of sampling sites for the 2016 and 2017 campaigns
Table 2, Synoptic sampling results, August 18, 2016
Table 3, Synoptic sampling results, September 7, 2017
Table 4, Streamflow measurements, August 2016
Table 5, Bromide timeseries, August 2016 and September 2017
Table 6, Slug addition conductivity data, August 2016
Table 7, Slug addition results, August 2016
Table 8, Spatial profiles of streamflow and metal load, August 2016 and September 2017

Contacts

Point of Contact :: Robert L Runkel
Originator :: Robert L Runkel, Philip L Verplanck, R. Blaine McCleskey, Katie Walton-Day, Patrick Byrne
Metadata Contact :: Robert L Runkel
Publisher :: U.S. Geological Survey
Distributor :: U.S. Geological Survey - ScienceBase
SDC Data Owner :: Colorado Water Science Center
USGS Mission Area :: Environmental Health

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illinois_gulch.xml Original FGDC Metadata	View	100.27 KB	application/fgdc+xml
IMG_3760.JPG		2.79 MB	image/jpeg
table1_sites.csv		9.61 KB	text/csv
table2_synoptic_results_2016.csv		19.72 KB	text/csv
table3_synoptic_results_2017.csv		8.2 KB	text/csv
table4_streamflow_measurements_2016.csv		676 Bytes	text/csv
table5_bromide_timeseries.csv		21.2 KB	text/csv
table6_slug_conductivity.csv		78.14 KB	text/csv
table7_slug_results.csv		892 Bytes	text/csv
table8_streamflow_and_loads.csv		10.22 KB	text/csv

Purpose

The purpose of this study is to quantify metal loading to Illinois Gulch, and hydrologic connections between the stream and nearby mine workings.

Synoptic sampling data from Illinois Gulch and Iron Springs near Breckenridge, Colorado, August 2016 and September 2017

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