Water quality field parameter data collected along the Lake Fork Creek corridor and wetland area in Leadville, Colorado, 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. Water quality field parameters (temperature, pH, specific conductance, and dissolved oxygen) were measured in the Dinero wetland complex downstream from Sugarloaf gulch, Little Sugarloaf gulch, and Dinero tunnel discharge and locations near and directly at the Nelson tunnel discharge in June 2024. Data were collected from multiple points at existing surface-water drainage channels and at upwelling groundwater/spring locations. A geographic information system was used to prepare maps of the four different parameters to help understand variation in these parameters across the Dinero wetland complex. Waters originating at Nelson Tunnel, Sugarloaf Gulch, and Little Sugarloaf Gulch had depressed pH, elevated specific conductance, and mixed dissolved oxygen and temperature signatures. Waters originating from Dinero tunnel had near neutral pH, moderate temperatures, and elevated specific conductance and dissolved oxygen values. Samples in the northern portion of the wetland had lower specific conductance and dissolved oxygen and greater pH than samples in other portions of the wetland. Temperatures of these sites were generally moderate compared to those in other portions of the wetland. Spring samples had values generally within the range of values for each parameter.

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  "Colorado",
  "Dinero Mine",
  "Geophysics",
  "Groundwater",
  "Hydrology",
  "Lake Fork",
  "Lake Fork Creek",
  "Leadville",
  "Mount Massive",
  "San Isabel National Forest",
  "Sugarloaf Dam",
  "Turquoise Lake",
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