This is a massive environmental disaster. The entire area relies on this river (and the San Juan that it feeds into) for their livelihood in some form or another.
The entire area relies on this river (and the San Juan that it feeds into) for their livelihood in some form or another.
Now they are saying a spill of approximately 3 million gallons. (Wikipedia)
What is the truth? EPA stated 1 million gallon, now it is up to 3 million
The Animas river is 126 miles long. There is only one major tributary of the Animas River it is the Florida River which confluences just north of the Colorado–New Mexico border. Not much chance the spill will be diluted until it reaches the border?
Numerous irrigation ditches serve the surrounding farmland along the river. Recently, the Durango Pumping Plant completed in 2011 as part of the Animas-La Plata Water Project draws a projected average annual intake of 57,100 acre-feet for storage in Lake Nighthors.
The Animas River is the largest tributary of the San Juan river
The San Juan drains an arid region of North America, and along its length (383 miles) it is very often the only significant source of fresh water.