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of process contact waters to the Arkansas River. or. Eagle river. <br /> drainages. Discharges to Tenmile Creek are made under NPDES <br /> Permit No . CO-0000248 . <br /> Climax has been developing and implementing programs <br /> i \ of action to provide a present, future, and post-mining outflow ` <br /> of acceptable quality water and to control present , future , and <br /> post-mining flood waters. A study of Tenmile Creek by the <br /> Federal Water. Pollution Control Administration in 1965 showed <br /> I the complete absence of stream biota and fish downstream of <br /> Climax property to the confluence with the West Fork of Tenmile <br /> Creek. Today, aquatic biology studies show that this stream <br /> 1 <br /> sector has made a remarkable recovery as evidenced by there <br /> ;being both a limited fish and biota population. <br /> 1 . Drainage from Inactive Mines. <br /> A major factor in achieving chemical and biological <br /> improvement within the Tenmile Creek has been the interception <br /> and treatment of certain highly contaminated drainages from <br /> inactive mines in the Searle and Kokomo Gulch area. In order <br /> to expand operations , Climax has purchased private lands mainly <br /> within the Tenmile drainage basin. Often as a condition of <br /> sale Climax had to purchase claims and inactive mines in areas <br /> adjacent to the needed lands. <br /> Mine water from these inactive mines and also from <br /> other inactive mines within the drainage which do not belong to <br /> Climax are low in pH and high in zinc and lead content. In an <br /> effort to minimize continued pollution from these sources, <br /> these acid waters flowing from inactive mines are channeled , <br /> where practicable, by Climax through the industrial water <br /> circuit, resulting in a reduction of their heavy metals content <br /> by virtue of chemical and physical changes within the milling <br /> and tailing disposal systems. In combination with the <br /> controlled discharge of industrial water , Tenmile Creek water <br /> qulaity has been improved . <br /> The operation of Mayflower Tailing Pond provides <br /> further opportunity for restricting these contaminated inactive <br /> mine drainages from flowing into the Tenmile Creek. <br /> 8-6 <br />