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Chalk Creek Location: Chalk Creek is located near St. Elmo, Colorado in ChatTee County. It is in the Mt. Princeton area. Project Manager: Division of Minerals and Geology 1313 Sherman Street Denver, CO 80203 Contact: Bruce Stover, DMG, (303) 866-3567 Restoration Objective: Metals loading reduction Description: The project is located at the site of an inactive mine. Wastes and drainage from former mining activities have adversely atTected Chalk Creek and a tish hatchery located farther downstream. Directions: From Highway 24 turn west at Nathrop, Colorado. Continue upstream along Chalk Creek to the town of St. Elmo. The key areas under restoration are the Mary Murphy Mine, the Iron Chest tailings area, and Golf Tunnel which is located on the main channel of Chalk Creek. Goals: Due to the adverse effect of mine tailings in the stream and adjacent riparian areas, the reduction of metals loading and regeneration of ripari- an vegetation were target goals in this restoration project. Methods: The consolidation and isolation of mine tailings was accom- plished by capping the mine tailings, implementing run-on and run-off controls to divert tlows away from the capped tailings, and revegetation of the degraded areas. A wetland area was reclaimed by transplanting vegetative plugs and bunch- grasses along the banks of Chalk Creek adjacent to the encapsulated tailings pile. Results: The project was completed in 1991. Biological monitoring indi- cates that noticeable increases in tish and macroinvertebrate populations within the stream have occurred since the tailings reclamation project was initiated. Post-remediation sampling indicates that the improvements attained in water quality and vegetation that have occurred in the recovery zone are migrating into the adjacent upstream reach of the creek. Hydrophytic (water loving) species are more dominant along the riparian corridor and aquatic species are more prevalent. The wetland areas that were replanted along the riparian corridor of the creek are in good condition and appear to be developing into viable, self-sustaining wet- land habitat. Metals loading from the Golf Tunnel drainage have been reduced 12 Driving Guide . Arkansas Watershed II