2015day.year
The Environmental Protection Agency at Gold King Mine waste water spill releases three million gallons of heavy metal toxin tailings and waste water into the Animas River in Colorado.
In August 2015, the EPA triggered a spill at Gold King Mine, releasing three million gallons of heavy metal-tainted wastewater into Colorado’s Animas River.
On August 5, 2015, a U.S. Environmental Protection Agency crew accidentally breached a containment wall while investigating toxic waste at the abandoned Gold King Mine in Colorado. The breach released over three million gallons of acidic, heavy metal-laden wastewater into the Animas River, turning it a vivid orange and threatening drinking water supplies in three states. The spill contaminated riverbanks, harmed aquatic life, and prompted concerns from local communities and Navajo Nation members reliant on the waterway. Immediate response efforts involved water quality monitoring, emergency advisories, and multi-agency cleanup operations. Legal battles ensued over liability, resulting in settlements with downstream municipalities and tribes. The incident underscored challenges in managing historic mine pollution and spurred calls for stricter oversight of abandoned mine reclamation.
2015
Gold King Mine waste water spill
heavy metal toxin tailings
Animas River