Impact of Mine and Natural Sources of Mercury on Water, Sediment, and Biota in Harley Gulch Adjacent to the Abbott-Turkey Run Mine, Lake County, California.

摘要

Stable-isotope data indicate that there are three sources of water that affect the composition and Hg concentration of waters in Harley Gulch: (1) meteoric water that dominates water chemistry during the wet season; (2) thermal water effluent from the Turkey Run mine that affects the chemistry at sample site HG1; and (3) cold connate groundwater that dominates water chemistry during the dry season as it upwells and reaches the surface. The results from sampling executed for this study suggest four distinct areas in Harley Gulch: (1) the contaminated West Fork of Harley Gulch, consisting of the stream immediately downstream from the mine area and the wetlands upstream from Harley Gulch canyon (sample sites HG1HG2), (2) the East Fork of Harley Gulch, where no mining has occurred (sample site HG3), (3) sample sites HG4HG7, where a seasonal influx of saline groundwater alters stream chemistry, and (4) sample sites HG7HG10, downstream in Harley Gulch towards the confluence with Cache Creek.