Lily Pond Research Papers

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Recommended: Acid mine drainage essay

Colorado has an astonishing 23,000 abandoned mine lands. However, long-term mining impacts on ecosystems and ecosystem recovery are not well understood. Studies show that mining activity increases sediment erosion and exposes large amounts of heavy metals that can runoff into nearby lakes. Increased sedimentation and heavy metal pollution can have long-term impacts on surrounding ecosystems. Water and vegetation resources from the surrounding area are used to help power the mine which can result in high levels of deforestation and water level change. Miners also live in the area surrounding the mine and rely on natural resources for their survival. Even after a mine has been abandoned and activity has stopped, acid mine drainage can continue …show more content…

Studies that have been conducted in other regions impacted by mining show little to no recovery to baseline conditions. However, the Forest Hill Mine is a relatively small operation, and there has been a significant amount of time since operations ceased ~100 years ago. This study aims to reconstruct the paleolimnological history of Lily Pond in central Colorado during the past 1500 years. Lily Pond is a kettle lake that formed during the last ice age. The Forest Hill Mine is located about 1200 meters southeast of Lily Pond. The mine operated upstream of Lily Pond and was in use from 1880-1920, with a break from …show more content…

The change in water quality changed the diatom species that could survive. Studies have shown little to no recovery in other lakes that were impacted by mining activity. Therefore, I hypothesize that Lily Pond has not returned to the same ecological state that existed before the start of mining. Initial results from Lily Pond show dramatic changes in diatoms and geochemistry in the top portion of the sediment core. A more robust age model is needed to compare these results with historical records from the Forest Hill Mine and pinpoint exactly how the introduction of mining impacted the area. An age model for the lower portion of the core has been developed (> ~500 years ago). Records from the lower portion of the core act as a “baseline” record that will be used to identify how Lily Pond has recovered from

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