The Sunrise Mine Fire is burning near Paradox, Colorado.

High winds expected to result in dangerous fire conditions on Colorado West Slope, Plains

By Bob Berwyn

SUMMIT COUNTY — The Sunrise Mine Fire , burning on U.S. Forest Service and BLM lands just a few miles from Paradox, Colorado near the Utah border, has quickly grown to 2,000 acres, according BLM spokesperson Shannon Borders.

The fire started at about 5 p.m. Friday and the cause is still under investigation. So far, 10 fire engines are on-scene with more firefighting resources en route, Borders said early Saturday morning.

The area where the fire is burning is included in a high-wind watch area, where sustained winds of 40 mph and higher gusts could drive the fire north.

Borders said firefighters have been able to establish defensible space around some scattered homes and ranch structures in the area.

The 82,000-acre Whitewater-Baldy fire continues to spread in the Gila National Forest.

The Whitewater-Baldy fire burns in steep terrain on the Gila National Forest. PHOTO COURTESY INCIWEB. Click for more photos.

By Summit Voice

SUMMIT COUNTY — The lightning-caused Whitewater-Baldy wildfire in New Mexico has grown to 82,000 acres and has destroyed at least 12 cabins in the rugged terrain of the Gila National Forest, northwest of Silver City.

Firefighters continue to focus on structure protection the Willow Creek subdivision and assessing fire threats in the town Mogollon while the wind- and terrain-driven fire continues to spread, albeit more slowly than earlier in the week. A voluntary evacuation of Mogollon remains in effect.

Firefighters retreated from some of their fire lines Friday as high winds fueled long range spotting and sustained crown runs. More high winds are forecast for at least the first part of the weekend.

Smoke from the fire will probably continue to affect the region until the monsoon season arrives later in the summer, according Boulder-based National Weather Service forecasters.

About 500 firefighters are at the scene.

Nationally, eight large wildfires are burning, with most of the activity in Arizona. To-date, fires have burned across about 600,000 acres, about half the ten-year average. More fire statistics and info at the National Interagency Fire Center website.

Smoke from a massive New Mexico wildfire obscures the normally clear view of Guyot and Baldy across Dillon Reservoir.

SUMMIT COUNTY — Smoke from the 82,000-acre Whitewater-Baldy fire in New Mexico, as well as a new fire near Montrose, Colorado, are impairing air quality in the state’s north-central mountains, said  Chad Gimmestad, the regional National Weather Service coordinator in Boulder.

A strong area of low pressure in Nevada is generating southerly winds, expected to gust above 50 mph Saturday, Gimmestad said. Those winds are carrying the smoke into the area. High wind warnings continue for the West Slope and the plains, and winds are expected to gust above 50 mph in the mountains, as well. By later Saturday night, the low pressure system will pass and winds will swing around to the west and northwest, clearing the smoke out of the area.

The smoke doesn’t deter this group of anglers from an early morning session at the Heaton Bay day use area.

Smoky skies in Summit County.

Normally, Baldy and Guyot would be crystal clear from this spot.

Smoke, not clouds …

The smoke does soften the light, which makes for good wildflower portraits.

Morning view.

Dolphins off the coast of Florida have been exposed to more mercury than captive dolphins fed a controlled diet. PHOTO BY BOB BERWYN.

Results suggest that Florida coastal waters have high levels of the toxic metal

By Summit Voice

SUMMIT COUNTY — A new study by researchers from The Johns Hopkins University and The National Aquarium shows that wild dolphins have higher levels of mercury than their captive cousins, suggesting that mercury pollution in the oceans is a continuing problem.

The captive animals were fed a controlled diet, while the wild mammals dined on marine life that may carry more of the toxic metal.

The study found lower levels of mercury in the captive animals, particularly compared to wild dolphins tested off the Atlantic and Gulf coasts of Florida, a state that is in the path of mercury-laden fumes from power plants. The aquarium dolphins are fed smaller fish from North Atlantic waters, where mercury pollution is less prevalent.

The authors cautioned that the study focused on a small number of animals and warned against drawing wide-ranging conclusions from the research.

“This is just one snapshot, one puzzle piece,” said Edward Bouwer, chair of the Department of Geography and Environmental Engineering at Johns Hopkins. “What we’d like to do now is repeat this project with aquariums in other parts of the world. The goal is to get a clearer comparison of mercury-related health risks facing dolphins both in captivity and in the wild. This type of research can give us hints about how the type of diet and where it originated can affect mercury-related health problems in captive dolphins, compared to their cousins in the wild.”

Public health officials are concerned about human consumption of mercury, particularly in a form called methylmercury, because it can damage the brain and other parts of the nervous system, especially in young children. Dolphins that ingest too much methylmercury can suffer similar harm.

Mercury is emitted as a gas from coal- and oil-fired power plants. Some makes its way into the ocean, where bacteria turn it into methylmercury, which moves up the food chain. Eventually, it turns up in the large fish that serve as dinner for wild dolphins. Once ingested, the heavy metal makes its way into the animals’ bloodstream, where it can begin to damage the nervous system.

The team collected blood samples from seven aquarium dolphins, ages 2 to 38, and tested them for mercury, methylmercury and a third chemical, selenium, which appears to help ward off the toxic effects.

The researchers compared their results against those derived from wild dolphin blood samples collected in earlier capture-and-release studies conducted in the waters off Charleston, S.C.; Indian River Lagoon on Florida’s Atlantic coast; and Sarasota, on Florida’s Gulf Coast.

“While mercury levels in the wild dolphins off South Carolina were slightly higher than those in the National Aquarium dolphins, readings from the dolphins off the Florida coasts were significantly higher,” said Yongseok Hong, postdoctoral fellow in the Department of Geography and Environmental Engineering in Johns Hopkins’ Whiting School of Engineering and lead author of the study.

“The difference in mercury exposure was attributed to differences in the dolphins’ diets,” he said. “The aquarium dolphins were fed a consistent level of small fish–capelin and herring–that were caught in North Atlantic waters off Newfoundland and New England. Lower levels of mercury are expected in these waters, compared to the waters off Florida.”

Leigh Clayton, the National Aquarium’s director of animal health, said the team members who care for the aquarium’s dolphins were enthusiastic about contributing to this study because it gave them a chance to more fully evaluate the food that the team feeds to its marine mammals.

“It is important that we gain a better understanding of the mercury levels in the North Atlantic food chain in order to ensure we’re providing the best diet possible to our dolphins,” Clayton said. “The research we have done with Johns Hopkins has provided helpful information for our marine mammals team and allows us, at this time, to have confidence that our current fish food sources do not have excessively elevated mercury levels.”

Last December, after the study was conducted, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency adopted strict standards aimed at reducing the release of toxic air pollution from coal- and oil-fired power plants, a key source of mercury contamination in sea water.

The findings were published in a recent issue of Science of the Total Environment.

The abandoned Pennsylvania Mine is the source of heavy metal pollution in Peru Creek and the Snake River.

By Bob Berwyn

SUMMIT COUNTY — For the second time in a century, heavy machinery will rumble high into the Peru Creek drainage — but this time, the bulldozers, loaders and trucks will be be there to try and clean up some of the mess left behind as toxic legacy of the mining era.

Local officials say the work planned this summer at the abandoned Pennsylvania Mine is a major step in  the ongoing exploration of the mine to investigate sources of heavy metal-laden waters draining from the mine and to improve water quality in Peru Creek and the Snake River, where concentrations of heavy metals like cadmium and zinc are high enough to kill trout and impair other aquatic life.

“We are very optimistic that, after years of collaborative work, we have reached the point where we can now enter the mine to identify potential mechanisms to reduce the acid mine drainage impacting aquatic habitat in Peru Creek,” said Summit County Open Space and Trails director Brian Lorch.

Visit the Snake River Watershed Taskforce online to see a compilation of the research to-date.

Peru Creek may look like an idyllic mountain stream, but is laden with toxic heavy metals.

The mine has been identified as one of the primary sources of metals from acid mine drainage. As water pours and trickles across the shattered, mineral-rich rock from the mine, the ensuing chemical reaction dissolves the metals. The mine operated from the late 1880s into the early 1930s and produced over $3 million in silver, lead and zinc.

One part of the planned work involves moving some of the waste rock from the mine away from running water, a technique that has proven successful in other remediation projects.

A collaborative task force including local, state and federal stakeholders have been grappling with the pollution for years, as cost estimates for a cleanup have soared.

This summer, the various parties collaborating on the cleanup will also try to enter the old mine itself to try and figure how water moves through the shafts and tunnels. That may help the experts figure out if they can permanently block the water coming out of the mine with a bulkhead, according to Lane Wyatt, a water expert with the Northwest Colorado Council of Governments.

“That’s the big thing, is opening up the Penn Mine … that’s kind of exciting, going in see what’s going on in there. That might help us develop some remedial options based on more than just guessing,” Wyatt said.

Other potential remediation options include a water treatment facility, or perhaps even trying to block or divert water before it gets into the mine.

“The Forest Service has been involved in looking for ways to clean up the Penn Mine for many years. This is a great step forward,” said acting Dillon District Ranger Peech Keller.

The Colorado Division of Reclamation Mining and Safety (DRMS), in cooperation with the White River National Forest, the Environmental Protection Agency, the Colorado Department of Public Health and Safety and Summit County will soon be conducting excavation activities at the Pennsylvania Mine near Montezuma. The Snake River Watershed Task Force and the Blue River Watershed Group are also in support of the project.

Peru Creek Road will remain open except for some brief periods of closures for minor road improvements. Expect increased truck traffic during the summer. Four wheel drive access to Cinnamon Creek will remain open, but access to the mine will be closed.

Jeff Graves, of the Colorado Division of Reclamation Mining and Safety, will oversee the contractors conducting the excavation activities.

“From mid-May to August, heavy equipment will be opening the main portal of the mine.  We are asking the public to avoid visiting the mine portal due to safety concerns,” Graves said.

More hazard-tree removal will lead to some delays on national forest roads and trails this spring and summer.

Popular high country routes will see occasional delays

By Summit Voice

SUMMIT COUNTY —The early snowmelt in Colorado means timber crews are already hard at work trying to minimize the threat of falling trees along trails and roads. According to the U.S. Forest Service, this means that hikers, cyclists and motorists can expect occasional delays while trees are felled across roads and trails.

In Summit County, spring and early summer work is scheduled along these roads an trails: Spruce Creek Trail (FDT #58), McCullough Gulch Trail (FDT #851), Quandary Mountain Trail (FDT #47), The Colorado Trail (FDT #2108.3) from the Middle Fork of the Swan to Georgia Pass, West Ridge Trail (FDT #176.1), The South Fork of the Swan (Georgia Pass) Road (FDR #355), the Middle Fork of the Swan Road (FDR #6), and Rock Island Road (#355W1.B).

There are no plans to close these affected trails or roads to public use, however delays should be expected until the work is complete. The crews will post trail-guards who will stop the public until it is safe to pass through the cutting area. The goal is public safety. Please follow the directions of the crew members.

Please check the White River National Forest Alerts webpage for updated information. From the home page located at www.fs.usda.gov/whiteriver navigate to the Alerts and Notices page using the button in the upper right column. If you have any questions, please contact the Dillon Ranger District at 970-468-5400.

Scientists take samples of seagrass beds at NSF’s Florida Coastal Everglades Long-term Ecological Research site. Credit: NSF Florida Coastal Everglades LTER Site

By Summit Voice

SUMMIT COUNTY — Coral reefs may get all the glory when it comes to biodiversity, but new research shows that relatively unsung seagrass communities may play a vital role in sequestering atmospheric carbon.

Any carbon that’s not in the atmosphere means it’s not trapping heat, so cultivating and protecting existing coastal seagrass communities could be a vital part of the solution to climate change, according to the first global analysis of carbon storage in seagrass.

The results of the study suggest that seagrass meadows can store up to twice as much carbon as the world’s temperate and tropical forests — up to 83,000 metric tons of carbon per square kilometer, mostly in the soils beneath them, as compared to typical terrestrial forests, which store about 30,000 metric tons per square kilometer, most of which is in the form of wood.

The research also estimates that, although seagrass meadows occupy less than 0.2 percent of the world’s oceans, they are responsible for more than 10 percent of all carbon buried annually in the sea.

“Seagrasses only take up a small percentage of global coastal area, but this assessment shows that they’re a dynamic ecosystem for carbon transformation,” said James Fourqurean, the lead author of the paper and a scientist at Florida International University and the National Science Foundation’s (NSF) Florida Coastal Everglades Long-Term Ecological Research (LTER) site.

The Florida Coastal Everglades LTER site is one of 26 such NSF LTER sites around the world in ecosystems from forests to tundra, coral reefs to barrier islands.

“Seagrasses have the unique ability to continue to store carbon in their roots and soil in coastal seas,” said Fourqurean. “We found places where seagrass beds have been storing carbon for thousands of years.”

The research was led by Fourqurean in partnership with scientists at the Spanish High Council for Scientific Investigation, the Oceans Institute at the University of Western Australia, Bangor University in the United Kingdom, the University of Southern Denmark, the Hellenic Center for Marine Research in Greece, Aarhus University in Denmark and the University of Virginia.

Seagrass meadows, the researchers found, store ninety percent of their carbon in the soil–and continue to build on it for centuries.

In the Mediterranean, the geographic region with the greatest concentration of carbon found in the study, seagrass meadows store carbon in deposits many meters deep.

Seagrasses are among the world’s most threatened ecosystems. Some 29 percent of all historic seagrass meadows have been destroyed, mainly due to dredging and degradation of water quality. At least 1.5 percent of Earth’s seagrass meadows are lost every year.

The study estimates that emissions from destruction of seagrass meadows can potentially emit up to 25 percent as much carbon as those from terrestrial deforestation.

“One remarkable thing about seagrass meadows is that, if restored, they can effectively and rapidly sequester carbon and reestablish lost carbon sinks,” said paper co-author Karen McGlathery, a scientist at the University of Virginia and NSF’s Virginia Coast Reserve LTER site.

The Virginia Coast Reserve and Florida Coastal Everglades LTER sites are known for their extensive seagrass beds.

Seagrasses have long been recognized for their many ecosystem benefits: they filter sediment from the oceans; protect coastlines against floods and storms; and serve as habitats for fish and other marine life.

The new results, say the scientists, emphasize that conserving and restoring seagrass meadows may reduce greenhouse gas emissions and increase carbon stores–while delivering important “ecosystem services” to coastal communities.

The research is part of the Blue Carbon Initiative, a collaborative effort of Conservation International, the International Union for Conservation of Nature, and the Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission of UNESCO.

So report researchers publishing a paper this week in the journal Nature Geoscience.

Subtropical Storm Beryl is spinning off the southeastern coast of the U.S.

Beryl may make landfall as s tropical storm somewhere near the Florida-Georgia border.

By Summit Voice

SUMMIT COUNTY — Although the official start of the Atlantic hurricane season is just a few days away, Beryl, the second named storm of the season, has formed off the coast of the Carolinas.

Tropical storm watches and warnings have been issued for parts of the southeastern coast from Florida up to South Carolina, where a storm surge and heavy rains are expected Sunday. According to the National Hurricane Center forecast, the storm is likely to peak with winds of 50 mph.

Several factors could weaken the storm before it makes landfall, including a nearby cold upper-level low pressure system, as well as marginally warm water and dry air close to the cyclone.

But depending on its exact path, Beryl could get a temporary boost from the warm waters of the Gulf Stream before making landfall.

For now, the National Hurricane Center is classifying Beryl as a subtropical system, packing sustained winds of 45 mph. The storm has developed a tight, well-defined circulation and is expected to generally move to the southwest, potentially making landfall as a tropical storm late in the weekend or early next week.

Toward the end of the forecast period, the models diverge a bit, but the general thinking is still that the storm will re-curve to the northeast and speed off to sea as an extratropical system early next week.

A classic spring high-wind scenario is setting up for Colorado and parts of the greater Southwest region, with the gusts up to near hurricane force possible. across ridges.

An array of wind-related weather warnings are in effect for the early part of the holiday weekend, with cooler temps and a chance of showers Sunday.

By Summit Voice

SUMMIT COUNTY — Campers out for their first trip of the summer season in Colorado and eastern Utah may want to make sure their tents are securely staked.

The National Weather Service has issued wind watches and warnings, dust storm warnings, as well as fire weather advisories and even a red flag fire warning for parts of Park County and the mountains southwest of Denver, where forest and grass fuels are very dry.

Along with the fire danger, drivers of high-profile vehicles like trucks and campers should also be aware of the potential for dangerous gusts, especially along north-south oriented highways. Fire restrictions are in place on BLm lands in western Colorado and other areas. Visit the Rocky Mountain Area Coordination Center for regional info on outdoor fire restrictions.

Sustained winds of 25 to 40 mph will be widespread across much of the West Slope and eastern Utah, where any small fire could quickly grow. Saturday, winds will be even stronger with valley gusts reaching 60 to 75 mph. On exposed mountain ridges, expect wind gusts exceeding 75 mph, with the strongest winds expected from late morning to early afternoon.

According to the forecasters, Saturday’s wind event will be the strongest spring wind storm since 2002, when in similarly dry conditions, the Hayman, Coal Seam and Missionary Ridge fires all blew up on June 9.

Winds from the Southwest will increase overnight ahead of an approaching cold front that is slated to reach western Colorado late Saturday, when winds will start to ease. The strong front will drop temperatures significantly by Sunday and bring a chance of showers, mainly in the northern part of state.

Snow showers are possible at the higher elevations of Utah’s Uinta Moutains, as well as the Elkhead, Flattop and Park ranges in northwestern Colorado. A chance of showers will persist through Sunday.

A gentle cascade of falling water along the Snake River, in Summit County, Colorado.

By Bob Berwyn

SUMMIT COUNTY — There aren’t many things more soothing than falling water, and living in the rugged Colorado Rockies means there’s always a stream nearby where the water burbles — or sometimes thunders — over a drop in the precipitous terrain. A water fall doesn’t have to be hundreds of feet high to be impressive (though it helps). Sometimes a fall of just a few feet can create an almost perfect expression of nature’s balance and harmony, and they’re always fun to photograph! Here’s my selection for the popular #FriFotos Twitter chat, where waterfall enthusiasts from around the world are sharing their favorite scenes. Join the fun by uploading pics to your stream and tagging with #FriFotos.

Clear Creek, Colorado.

Waterfalls aren’t just for looking at. Mayfield Falls in Jamaica brings cool relief after a hot jungle hike.

OK, technically it’s not a water fall, but it’s falling water, right?

How often do you get to look straight down at a waterfall (unless you’re in a helicopter)? These are some falls at Škocjan Caves, a world heritage site in Slovenia.

Icy Straight Creek rushes through a shady pine forest near Dillon, Colorado.

A cascade along Meadow Creek in Frisco, Colorado.

Peru Creek, in the Colorado high country near Keystone.

So many songs about falling water … this image always makes me thing of Van Morrison’s “And it stoned me .”

More of a water trickle …