Constant rate stream tracer data collected along the Lake Fork Creek corridor and wetland area in Leadville, Colorado, 2023 and 2024

Multiple sources of mine drainage including discharge from the abandoned Dinero mine tunnel and two gulches flow into a wetland, known herein as the Dinero wetland along the Lake Fork Creek corridor. The Dinero wetland is approximately 20 acres in extent. The Dinero wetland is being considered as a location for passive treatment of the mine drainage flowing through it. As such, study objectives are to understand: (1) variations in pH, specific conductance, and temperature in surface water in the wetland; (2) metal loading into and out of the wetland; (3) the configuration of surface drainage features; (4) the configuration of subsurface conductive features; and (4) depth to bedrock in the wetland. These data will be used to help understand whether the wetland is currently and naturally treating the mine drainage flowing through it and will help pinpoint locations needing additional investigations to help inform potential passive treatment scenarios. Constant rate fluorescein dye injection experiments were conducted in Lake Fork Creek on the evening of 8/15/2023 and the morning of 7/17/2024. The injection site for the experiments was approximately 39.250872°N -106.376256°W, and the lower boundary of the experimental reach was designated at 39.246789°N, -106.378772°W (WGS 84). Turner Designs ‘Cyclops-7F’ fluorometers and ‘Databank’ recorders were used to measure dye concentrations in this study. At the lower boundary of the study area, concentrations were measured continuously at one-minute intervals. Check measurements of dye concentration were collected throughout the reach during data collection. The injections were initiated at 17:15 on 8/15/2023 and 06:40 on 7/17/2024 using a peristaltic pump powered by a rechargeable, constant rate power source. Once plateau dye concentration conditions were indicated by point-in-time checks at the lower boundary, point measurements of dye concentration were collected from the upper to lower boundary of the reach. The location and associated concentration of point measurements were documented with a handheld GPS. Time series ‘Cyclops-7F’ data were saved and are contained in this data release. Upper reach boundary stream discharge is controlled by dam operations and was known to be 105 L/s on 8/15/2023 and 671 L/s on 7/17/2024. Those discharges were used in conservative, two-component mixing models to estimate lateral water inflow between spot dye measurement points, assuming the lateral inflows contain no dye, and no dye mass was lost along the experimental reach. The dilution calculations are included in this data release for demonstration purposes only.

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