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Divisional Correspondence Only Fish Kill - Purgatoire River STATE OF COLORADO DIVISION OF WILDLIFE DEPARTMENT OF NATURAL RESOURCES TO: Ron Velarde FROM: Bob Holder Re: III IIIIIIIIIIIII III 99s DATE: Ref: 8160 03/24/88 On March 5, 1988 at approximately 5:00 p.m., I received a telephone message from an anonymous male. The caller stated he had observed several dead fish in the Purgatoire River. He further described the area as a portion of river east of Ciruela Canyon/Golden Eagle Mine and assumed the mine was the cause of the dead fish. I advised him I would investigate the site and sample the fish and water. Due to the time, I deferred investigation until daylight hours on March 6. On March 6, 1988 I attempted to contact Area Wildlife Manager, Ron Velarde, and advise of the report. AWM Velarde was out of town so I contacted Area 11 Aquatic Biologist, Jim Melby, and described the anonymous report. Melby contacted Bruce Goforth, Southeast Region Habitat Biologist, and John Woodling, Wildlife Program Specialist III, Division of Wildlife, Denver. I told Melby I would sample the effluent, if possible, upstream from the effluent and downstream from the effluent, as well as taking fish samples if indeed dead fish were observed. Melby requested I be accompanied by another officer to verify samples/sites, etc., by use of photographs and testimony. I contacted District Wildlife Manager, Jim Aragon, by radio and requested assistance. DWM Aragon agreed to respond. I met DWM Aragon and District Wildlife Manager Kirk Madriaga (Paonia) at the Trinidad Walmart where I purchased three plastic water bottles to be used in sampling. I told Aragon and Madriaga of the anonymous call and the need to investigate the site to verify or refute the report. We traveled to Aragon's house where we obtained Aragon's evidence camera and traveled Highway 12 to Ciruela Canyon where it enters the Purgatoire River. I took a water sample at the effluent. The effluent was a dark, murky color and there was a very distinct demarcation between the effluent and the Purgatoire River. There seemed to be many bubbles on the effluent surface as well. Aragon photographed me as I took the sample. We then marked the sample bottle as Sample ~/I, Source. We repeated the sampling procedure approximately 50 yards above the effluent in the Purgatoire River and photographed the site. The sample was marked Sample 112, Upstream. The third sample (Sample 113, Downstream) was taken approximately SO yards below the effluent. Each sample was approximately one quart and the samples were taken between 3:15 p.m. and 3:30 p.m. DOw-A-G-B