A number of streams in Colorado are highly acidic, some from mining and some from nature. To view a PowerPoint on the occurences of acidic waters in Colorado, click here.  (Note that annotations can be viewed by clicking the little red icon in the upper left corner of each slide.)

To view a map showing the location of areas that naturally create acid waters, click here.

A CGS study identifies geology as culprit for poor water quality in parts of Colorado in a new report, titled “Natural Acid Rock Drainage Associated with Hydrothermally Altered Terrane in Colorado.” The study identifies a number of streams in eleven different headwater areas of Colorado where surface water is acidic and has high concentrations of metals upstream of any significant human impacts. Click here for the press release.

The publication can be ordered from the Colorado Geological Survey at 303-866-2611 or in the online bookstore at

http://geosurveystore.state.co.us/.