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HomeMy WebLinkAbout01 Jan 2024 packet joint meeting with BOCC Agenda items are subject to change – Times are approximate and are also subject to change Agenda | January 30, 2024 BOCC Meeting Room 1st Floor 530 E. Main Street Aspen, CO 8111 TIME ITEM 1:00 PM Healthy Rivers - Re-cap of the program and projects 1:15 PM Lincoln Creek presentation and discussion - Kurt Dahl (45 minutes) AIS - Lincoln Creek Presentation and Discussion 2:00 PM Wild and Scenic Designation of the Crystal River 2:30 PM Adjourn 1 AGENDA ITEM SUMMARY WORK SESSION DATE:January 30,2023 AGENDA ITEM TITLE:Lincoln Creek Update STAFF RESPONSIBLE:Kurt Dahl,Environmental Health ISSUE STATEMENT:Discussion of the Lincoln Creek Report from the EPA released in November 2023 and the upcoming February 1,2024 presentation at the Rocky Mountain Institute (RMI)Office. BACKGROUND:After a citizen report of discoloration and sediment loading in Lincoln Creek, Pitkin County Environmental Health (EH)began an investigation.EH then discovered in late September 2022 that the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)was taking water samples at several locations along Lincoln Creek from the confluence with the Roaring Fork River to just above the Ruby Mine.Pitkin County was not previously notified of these efforts and began inquiring as to why the EPA was taking water samples in Lincoln Creek. Previous work in 2001 by the EH Department and the Roaring Fork Conservancy indicated that Lincoln Creek had high levels of aluminum and iron from presumed natural seeps and mine runoff (including the Ruby mine).As of early September 2022,EH was not familiar with any work to test the water after that time period.After learning about the EPA efforts,EH staff briefly joined the EPA during their sampling efforts on September 27,2022 and scheduled a meeting with the project supervisors on October 12,2022 to learn more about what was happening.The following are notes from the various meetings that occurred from October 2022-November 2023. ●Around Q3 of 2021,Kendall Bakich,Water Quality Biologist for Colorado Parks and Wildlife (CPW),received a report of a fish kill in the Grizzly Reservoir.She went to the site and confirmed the report of a fish kill and noticed the water in the reservoir was more turquoise in color than she had previously seen.She notified the Division of Reclamation and Mining Safety (DRMS). ●DRMS took water samples from Lincoln Creek in 2016ish and the copper level was above the historic data.Dissolved copper in water can create a turquoise color appearance in lakes/reservoirs,which was likely the reasoning behind checking copper levels.Other metals may have been tested but they were not discussed. ●CPW and DRMS engaged the EPA and the EPA went through the process to list the information in their “system”(pre-Comprehensive Environmental Response, 2 Compensation,and Liability Act (CERCLA),also known as Superfund, screening)but this site was not included in the national priority list (Superfund Site List).This was done to secure funding to test water from Lincoln Creek at various sites. ●Two sampling events from the EPA were completed (July and September of 2022).However,“mini sippers”have been installed to collect water samples from 4 locations over the winter of 2022-2023.Samples are weekly and then increase in frequency to daily next April(ish)to determine if there is any variation during snow runoff in the spring. ●The data from the EPA indicates that there are elevated levels of copper,aluminum, and iron in Lincoln Creek water.The concentrations of metals is higher closer to Ruby mine and becomes less below Grizzly Reservoir. ●EPA believes the sources appear to be predominantly from natural sources with the largest source a “mineralized”tributary just downstream from the Ruby Mine Adit. ●Monitoring,mitigation,or cleanup do not fall under the purview of the EPA CERCLA Program. ●Fish in Grizzly Reservoir are stocked monthly according to CPW,do not “grow up”in the reservoir and have not been tested for heavy metal levels.At this point based on other metals impaired streams,there is currently not a lot of concern about human consumption.Copper seems to accumulate in the gut of trout,not the meat.This comment is being verified by the Forest Service,CPW,and EH with toxicologists at the State Health Department. ●Several state and local agencies will continue to determine the next steps in addressing concerns about the Lincoln Creek water quality.Several questions the agencies are working on: ○Communication to recreation users about the elevated metals in the creek. ■Is the water safe to consume for campers at the campground? ●What is the maximum amount of time a person can camp at the campground? ■Do warning signs need to be posted in proximity of Lincoln Creek? ○Interest in additional sampling to verify the results and determine if there are seasonal changes to the water quality. ■EH and the Roaring Fork Conservancy (RFC)have worked with the Healthy Rivers and Streams Board to secure funding to test Lincoln Creek during the Grizzly Reservoir construction planned for the summer of 2024. ○Is the creek safe for pets to consume (short term)? ○Is mitigation possible?The EPA has indicated they are not aware of successful mitigation of a natural source of metals contamination in water. 3 ○How or is the fish kill event at Northstar Open Space last summer related to Lincoln Creek water quality?One theory is that even though the copper levels are low at Northstar,copper toxicity to fish increases with temperature and the fish kill reported in August may be related to an increase in water temperature along with the copper levels. ○Is climate change contributing to the apparent increase in metals concentrations?The EPA report indicates this may be a possibility but more data is needed to understand how or if climate change is contributing to the increases. ○Is it safe to consume fish in the reservoir? LINK TO STRATEGIC PLAN:Flourishing Natural and Built Environment KEY DISCUSSION ITEMS:What role does the BOCC want the County,EH,Pitkin County Healthy Rivers (PCHR),and Others,to play as the continuation of the program shifts to locals? What questions BUDGETARY IMPACT:Unknown RECOMMENDED BOCC ACTION:BOCC supports EH and PCHR continuing to work with local agencies on addressing the contamination in Lincoln Creek ATTACHMENTS:None. 10-09-2017 4