Published on March 7, 2018
Midas Gold Idaho wants to keep the community informed about the work we are doing at the Stibnite Gold Project site. The Ask Midas blog series gives the experts in our company a chance to answer some of the community’s most frequently asked questions and help clear up any misconceptions around the project.
At Midas Gold, we are very concerned about the amount of sediment in the East Fork of the South Fork of the Salmon River. We do regular road maintenance, including public roads, to try and keep dirt and dust from entering the river and have been reforesting areas of our site to help stabilize soils in the region – to date we’ve planted more than 50,000 trees. But why are we so concerned about sediment? This week, I get to tell you in our Ask Midas series.
Why do we need to be worried about sediment in the river?
High amounts of sediment can degrade aquatic habitat and have a detrimental effect on fish. Elevated sediment can clog fishes’ gills, make it difficult for them to see their food and even reduces their ability to fight diseases. The failed dam at Blowout Creek is the single largest source of sedimentation on the East Fork of the South Fork of the Salmon River. Hundreds of tons of sediment are dumped into the river each year at this spot. In fact, in the spring, the problem is so bad the river looks like chocolate milk because it is so thick with sediment. Unless something is done, sediment in the river will continue to have a negative impact on the fish, plants and overall health of the river. Our plan of restoration and operations allows us to fix the problem at Blowout Creek, as well as make many other changes that would positively benefit the river, including reconnecting salmon with their native spawning grounds. Without private investment the sedimentation problem will only continue to get worse.
If you have a question you would like us to answer, please email it to [email protected].
