Gold King Mine

In 2015, a contractor working for the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) inadvertently damaged the portal plug at the Gold King Mine, and approximately 3 million gallons of water/sludge was released from the mine into Cement Creek near Silverton Colorado, ultimately polluting the Animas River.

An immediate solution was needed to mitigate ongoing discharges and prevent future natural resource damage. True Environmental successfully designed, constructed, and commissioned the Gladstone Water Treatment Plant within 21 days of the contract award. Although initially intended to be an interim measure, we implemented design improvements to extend the plant life until 2027. The plant operates 24/7, year-round above 10,000 feet of elevation, operating through annual snowfalls exceeding 13 feet and spring freshet events that cause flowrate, pH, and metal loading fluctuations of more than 200%. Our innovative and cost-saving sludge management approach has saved the client over $800K/yr in operation costs. True Environmental continues to operate the water treatment plant year-round, with an average reduction of metal loading by 93% prior to discharge.