Snake River Cleanup

Long-running efforts to improve water quality in the Snake River, near Keystone and Dillon, will get a jump start this month, as Trout Unlimited has hired an expert to coordinate the cleanup.

At issue is heavy metal contamination from abandoned mines high in the basin. Together with naturally occurring minerals, the acid mine drainage has impaired water quality in parts of the Snake River, with concentrations of some metals exceeding state-set standards established to protect aquatic life.

“I’ll be working with the Snake River Task Force to get a liability agreement,” said Elizabeth Russell, who started her full-time job May 15.

Working from TU’s Boulder office, Russell said the overall goal remains the same: Improving water quality to the point that the Snake River can sustain a healthy trout population.

“We hope that within three years we can have it cleaned up,” Russell said, explaining that there are still some land ownership issues that need to be clarified before on-the-ground remediation begins.