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I ~ All iron excursions were the result of high suspended solids. Both sites <br />are upstream of Seneca's discharges. <br />There was one copper value (from NPDES2) that had an elevated detection <br />limit higher than the chronic standard. The cause of this elevated <br />detection limit was a decision by the laboratory to dilute the sample <br />prior to analyses in order to reduce the effects of interferences (such <br />as high salinity). Likewise, there was one selenium value (from NPDES2) <br />that had an elevated detection limit higher than the chronic standard. <br />One site, NPDES2, experienced a mercury value of 0.3 ug/1. Lab error is <br />suspected, since the value before the excursion, and the three samples <br />after the excursion, were all below the detection limit, 0.2 ug/1. The <br />standard for mercury is 0.01 ug/1. <br />Only two samples experienced exceedances of the sulfide standard (0.002 <br />mg/1 un-ionized). These samples are from streams above Seneca's <br />• discharges. However, any dissolved sulfides present in surface water <br />should eventually oxidize to sulfates. <br />NPDES Effluent Criteria (Permit No, CO-0000221). Three excursions of <br />NPDES effluent criteria occurred this year. NPDES4 experienced an <br />excursion of the total recoverable iron limit, 1.0 mg/1, on April 7 with <br />a value of 1.47 mg/1. The site was receiving snowmelt runoff at the <br />time, and the excursion was a result of relatively high suspended <br />solids, 26 mg/1. This site was in compliance for iron for all months <br />after the excursion. <br />Both NPDES4 and NPDESS failed chronic WET tests performed in July. <br />Accelerated WET tests for both sites passed the limits, indicating that <br />the toxic episode was transitory (or may have never existed in the first <br />place, i.e. lab error). <br />Surface Water Summary. Water discharged from the Seneca II Mine is not <br />• used directly for irrigation. Indirectly, although, water discharged <br />from the mine is significantly diluted by water from either Fish Creek <br />23 <br />