In 2009, large mounds of excelsior at the mulch operation in Mud Creek caught fire by spontaneous combustion following a long wet period. Several acres of deep burning excelsior smoldered for over a week.
The fire was put out by a thorough wetting by the fire department. But this was not the end of the problem.
That fall black water flowed out of the burned piles of excelsior and that water ran all the way down Mud Creek, killing the fishes and other aquatic life.
This bad water was reported to the Colorado Water Division, and after testing by the fishery people the water showed very low oxygen content and was shown to be highly acidic. No wonder fish and crawdads, etc were dying.
That fall we were taking cows to my pasture which Mud Creek runs through but when we got word of this bad water we turned around and took them to another pasture. Since that time our use of the pasture has been limited and it can’t be used when the water flow is low and when the black contaminants are concentrated.
Not only that, I have seen dying cattails in pools by the excelsior mounds. Still, after seven years, aquatic life has diminished. Not only do bald eagles no longer fish out of this little creek, but who knows what it is doing to the mule deer? We did used to see more deer than stay here now.
Unfortunately, the 49 Squares Company that was told to turn the excelsior constantly to prevent another fire has not complied. Their little ditches are full of black water and with each heavy rain, of course, that water gushes on down Mud Creek.
So far there has been no solution to this contamination. Surely the mounds of excelsior are not turned with a bulldozer or backhoe. Those of us who live downstream have lost the full use of our land.
We ask the county commissioners to review and perhaps do an on-site visit.
Marilyn Colyer
Mancos