People around Colorado Animas River were shocked to see these picturesque waters take a color strange orange. Strangely organizations shades of water can occur naturally, but unfortunately, the sudden change of the Animas River was far from natural.
While the river is like a stream of mac and cheese, what's really happening here is much less pleasant that favorite comfort food of all.
Brent Lewis, Denver Post (via Getty Images)
On 5 August a team of workers accidentally released three million liters of wastewater King Gold Mine in Silverton, Colorado. The water is full of heavy metals, including lead and arsenic, which give the water this strange hue.
Because it happened so recently, officials have yet to determine how best to clean up the spill and restore the damaged ecosystem. They advised people to stay out of the water until it is cleaned.
Unfortunately, this contamination is in motion.
Brent Lewis, Denver Post (via Getty Images)
River will bring the waste through the National Forest San Juan New Mexico and finally in Utah.
The water will eventually empty into Lake Powell in Utah. It is expected to reach the lake Wednesday.
Brent Lewis, Denver Post (via Getty Images)
Obviously, the wastewater was stored inside an abandoned mine shaft, and was accidentally released into the river by a crew of Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) workers.
It is still unclear what exactly led to the spill, and it is too early to say who should be held responsible.
Brent Lewis, Denver Post (via Getty Images)
following this disaster, the governor of Colorado declared a state of emergency & mdash; and rightly so. The river flows through a pristine stretch of protected land that is home to many species of animals and plants. These organizations are now at risk of being poisoned by toxic sludge being carried by the river.
The plume of toxic waste should dissipate in a few days, but the potential for the long-term environmental damage is high.
Brent Lewis, Denver Post (via Getty Images)
Brent Lewis, Denver post (via Getty Images)
Look at the cooling sequence here:
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We do not know what the effects of this spill will in the long run, or how river ecosystems and surrounding communities to be affected in the future. We can only hope that other mines containing water waste and other hazardous materials will be handled more safely to avoid a disaster like this from happening again.
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