U.S. ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCYPOLLUTION/SITUATION REPORT2015 Gold King Mine lo!o"# $ Pol%e&/Si#%e&Ini#i'l Pol%e&/Si#%e&UNITE( STATES ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCYRegion )S"*+e,#-SITREP .2Ini#i'l Si#"'#ion Re&o%#Gold King Mine lo!o"#S'n /"'n Co"n#01 Colo%'do L'#i#"de- 23.)455 Longi#"de- $103.62)5To- T7%"-David Ostrander, Regional Incident Coordinator 8%o9-R8 IMT Situation Unit('#e-08/07/201 Re&o%#ing Pe%iod-08/0!/1 t"roug" 08/07/1#ll "ig"lig"ted sections are uni$ue to t"is docu%ent&E:e,"#i;e S"99'%0 On #ugust , 201, '(# )as conducting an investigation o* t"e +old ,ing Mine& T"e intent o* t"e investigation )as to create access to t"e %ine, assess on-going )ater releases *ro% t"e %ine to treat %ine )ater, and assess t"e *easi.ilit/ o* *urt"er %ine re%ediation& T"e 0lan )as to e1cavate t"e loose %aterial t"at "ad colla0sed into t"e cave entr/ .ac2 to t"e ti%.ering& During t"e e1cavation, t"e loose %aterial gave )a/, o0ening t"e adit 3%ine tunnel4 and s0illing t"e )ater stored .e"ind t"e colla0sed %aterial into Ce%ent Cree2, a tri.utar/ o* t"e #ni%as River&Initial esti%ates are t"at t"e release contained a00ro1i%atel/ one %illion gallons o* )ater 3esti%ated *ro% t"e di%ensions o* t"e %ine adit4 t"at )as "eld .e"ind unconsolidated de.ris& T"ere )ere several )or2ers at t"e site at t"e ti%e o* t"e .reac", all )ere un"ar%ed& T"e large 0ulse o* )ater dissi0ated in a.out an "our& Toda/ t"e )ater in Ce%ent Cree2 and t"e #ni%as River in Silverton is clearing& T"e adit is still disc"arging lo)er *lo)s into Ce%ent Cree2&5e e10ect conditions )ill continue to i%0rove in t"e co%ing "ours and da/s& #s o* 10 a% toda/, t"e leading edge o* t"e 0lu%e )as at 8 %iles, as t"e cro) *lies 3not river %iles4, *ro% t"e 6e) Me1ico stateline& 5e e10ect an u0date on t"at location later t"is a*ternoon&1. In#%od",#ion 1.1 ',, t"e States o* Colorado and 6e) Me1ico, and t"e 6ava:o 6ation and Sout"ern Ute Tri.es call )as "eld )it" t"e Regional Res0onse Tea% on =rida/, #ugust 7, 201&2.1.2 En?o%,e9en# A,#i;i#ie=1 Iden#i#0 o? Po#en#i'll0 Re=&on=i*le P'%#ie= @PRP=A2.1.5 P%og%e== Me#%i,= 2.2 Pl'nning Se,#ion2.2.1 An#i,i&'#ed A,#i;i#ie=T"e (lanning Section;s Situation Unit stood u0 on 08/0!/201 in t"e '(# Region 8 R'OC& SITR'(S )ill continue to .e 0re0ared until it is deter%ined t"at t"e/ are no longer necessar/& 2(A5s A%(2CT few this morning from the !ew "exico 'order to the mine to take photographs.The fight crew will fy the river again this afternoon. 2(A is re'uilding settling ponds to treat these fows 6 the upper pond will 'e completed 'y early afternoon and the lower pond 'y C14 or early tomorrow. 2(A will treat the mine water diverted to the ponds with caustic soda and focculent once the ponds are 'uilt.The discharge fow rate from the mine will 'e con)rmed. T"e '(# Region 8 Regional #d%inistrator *le) to Durango t"is %orning, and )ill .e %eeting OSCs and local o**icials, and )ill tour a**ected sections o* t"e #ni%as River& 9e )ill also attend a 0u.lic %eeting on t"e incident in t"e a*ternoon&?aseline )ater $ualit/ data *ro% t"e 0ast 17 /ears "as .een o.tained, and )ill .e co%0ared )it" t"e ne) )ater $ualit/ data t"at )ill .e availa.le toda/& 5e )ill continue to coordinate )it" local, state, tri.al and *ederal o**icials&'(# Region 8 is coordinating )it" #TSDR in res0onse to 0u.lic "ealt" concerns/$uestions associated )it" t"e %ine )aste 0lu%e& #TSDR "as .een in co%%unication )it" local "ealt" o**icials at San 8uan Count/ ?asin 9ealt" De0art%ent in Colorado& (u.lic "ealt" $uestions/concerns s"ould .e directed to C"ris (oulet, #TSDR/R8 at @0@-@12-701@&'(# Region 8 "as .een coordinating )it" Region ! and Region > and t"e states o* Colorado, 6e) Me1ico, Uta" and t"e Sout"ern Ute Tri.e& Region ! is )or2ing closel/ )it" t"e 6e) Me1ico 'nviron%ent De0art%ent 36M'D4 to evaluate 0ossi.le i%0acts in 6e) Me1ico& (otentiall/ i%0acted )ater s/ste%s "ave .een noti*ied, and 0recautions are in 0lace to ensure drin2ing )ater in "o%es is 0rotected& '(# and 6M'D are 0roviding assistance to co%%unit/ )ater s/ste%s and closel/ %onitoring t"e situation&2.2.1.2 Ne:# S#e&=2.2.2 I=="e=2.2 Logi=#i,= Se,#ion 6o in*or%ation at t"is ti%e&2.5 8in'n,e Se,#ion2.5.1 N'%%'#i;eStood u0 on #ugust 7, 201&Mission NumberMission Assignment DescriptionFunding Amount (in thousands) Status2.5 O#7e% Co99'nd S#'??2.5.1 S'?e#0 O??i,e%2.5.2 Li'i=on O??i,e%2.5.2 In?o%9'#ion O??i,e%# 0ress release )as 0re0ared, and a 0u.lic %eeting )as "eld on #ugust 7, 201&2.5.5 Be'#7e% 8o%e,'=#5eat"er *orecast *or =rida/, #ugust 7, 201AToday%howers and thunderstorms likely mainly after ,pm. %ome of the storms could produce gusty winds and heavy rain. Cloudy with a high near 37. %outh southwest wind / to .- mph increasing to .- to ./ mph in the afternoon. Chance of precipitation is +-8.Tonight%howers and thunderstorms likely mainly 'efore .-pm. %ome of the storms could produce gusty winds and heavy rain. Cloudy with a low around /7. %outhwest wind / to .- mph 'ecoming light and varia'le. Chance of precipitation is +-8.2. P'%#i,i&'#ing En#i#ie= 2.1 Uni?ied Co99'nd2.2 Coo&e%'#ing Agen,ie=T"e Colorado =is" and 5ildli*e Conservation O**ice is %onitoring e**ects on )ildli*e and a$uatic li*e in t"e a**ected area&T"e 7a (lata Count/ S"eri** issued an order closing t"e #ni%as River to all )atercra*t *ro% t"e nort" Count/ line 3San 8uan Count/, Colorado4 to t"e sout" Count/ line 3at t"e Colorado/6e) Me1ico State line4 until *urt"er notice& =urt"er%ore, all suc" )atercra*t %ust .e re%oved *ro% t"e #ni%as River )it"in t"e locations cited a.ove& T"e decision )as %ade a*ter consultation )it" t"e '(#, CD(9', t"e San 8uan ?asin 9ealt" De0art%ent, and re0resentatives o* t"e Sout"ern Ute Indian Tri.e& T"e Order )ill re%ain in e**ect until it is deter%ined t"at t"e river is sa*e&5e;ve contacted t"e US =is" and 5ildli*e Service and t"e US De0art%ent o* Interior a.out t"e incident&5. Pe%=onnel On Si#e Gold King Mine Bloout !"#$-39-09,-./Group Number2(A : R21C .;Contractors : R21C ,2(A in /Contractors in ?2RT Reg 3 -5. (e?ini#ion o? Te%9= 6o in*or%ation availa.le at t"is ti%e&6. Addi#ion'l =o"%,e= o? in?o%9'#ion 6o in*or%ation availa.le at t"is ti%e&3. Si#"'#ion'l Re?e%en,e M'#e%i'l= 6o in*or%ation availa.le at t"is ti%e&