FAQ How Do You Know What the Long Term Effects Will Be?

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is collecting samples and assessing water quality for the Animas and San Juan Rivers daily. The La Plata County Sheriff lifted the recreation use ban on the Animas River on Friday, Aug. 14. The water quality data the EPA has analyzed thus far continues to be encouraging and points to minimal short-term risks associated with the plume and a return to pre-event baseline conditions in the Animas River in Colorado. In the San Juan River, data indicate the plume dissipated as it traveled downstream, and samples show a smaller rise in acidity and metal levels in the river compared to those in the Animas River. Further downstream, data suggest slight impacts as the plume dissipated and no leading edge was visible. While the EPA is taking samples in Lake Powell near the San Juan River inflow, they expect no adverse impacts to the Lake or other locations downstream from the lake.