This letter is in response to the statements made by Hydrowest, Inc., the owner of the Ouray Hydroelectric Power Plant, regarding the cause of the recent discoloration of the Uncompahgre River in the Oct. 18 Durango Herald story titled “Western Colorado river runs orange.” I have worked as an environmental engineering consultant to Idarado Mining Company for several decades. As such, I am very familiar with environmental conditions in the general area, including reclamation completed by Idarado in the Red Mountain Creek area.
Idarado was formed in 1939 and operations ceased in 1978.
In 1992, Idarado and the state of Colorado entered into a consent decree and remedial action plan to implement reclamation and rehabilitation measures to address concerns of the state and local communities.
The consent decree and RAP, as approved by U.S. District Court of Colorado, required Idarado to implement certain reclamation and rehabilitation activities designed to achieve specific surface stabilization, revegetation, water management and water quality objectives that were protective of human health and the environment.
Idarado has and continues to comply with all obligations required by the consent decree and RAP.
In 1997, Idarado completed reclamation and rehabilitation activities under state oversight in both the Ouray and Telluride drainage basis. In the Red Mountain Creek drainage, reclamation and rehabilitation activities were performed at properties owned by Idarado; however it should be noted that approximately 80 percent of the effort and funding expended by Idarado on the cleanup was on properties that were never owned by Idarado. Idarado continues to perform monitoring, inspection, and maintenance of the reclaimed and rehabilitated areas under ongoing state oversight.
Hydrowest is not permitted to make discharges that result in non-attainment of a water quality standard. In contrast to Idarado’s two-plus decades of environmental restoration on Red Mountain Creek, it is not clear what precautions Hydrowest took, as required under its certification, to responsibly manage the discharge of water contained in the reservoirs it flushed into the river.
Instead, Hydrowest’s statements attempt to misdirect responsibility away from the company’s actions for the Uncompahgre’s recent discoloration.
Sherman Worthington
Fort Collins