The U.S. Geological Survey is mobilizing a sampling team that will collect water and sediment samples at multiple points in New Mexico along the Animas and San Juan rivers.
Affected communities have been notified of the failure of the treatment facility and have been advised to take protective measures, such as shutting off intake points for drinking water systems. Residents relying on the San Juan and Animas rivers for potable or agricultural purposes should take appropriate precautions.
Update: Saturday, March 16, 2019
From the NM Environment Department:
The New Mexico Environment Department just received word from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency that the Gold King Mine wastewater treatment facility is back up and running.
We do not know at this point what actions were taken to get the system back online.
Friday, March 15, 2019
From the NM Environment Department:
The New Mexico Environment Department (NMED) was notified this afternoon by the State of Utah that the Gladstone wastewater treatment facility, which treats drainage from Gold King Mine, failed on March 14 due to loss of power.
Because of heavy snowfall in the area, the treatment facility is currently inaccessible.
Wastewater from the mine is currently bypassing the facility at a rate between 250 to 300 gallons per minute, according to estimates from Utah and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.
The U.S. Geological Survey is mobilizing a sampling team that will collect water and sediment samples at multiple points in New Mexico along the Animas and San Juan rivers.
Affected communities have been notified of the failure of the treatment facility and have been advised to take protective measures, such as shutting off intake points for drinking water systems. Residents relying on the San Juan and Animas rivers for potable or agricultural purposes should take appropriate precautions.
NMED will provide additional information through its website and Twitter feed as it becomes available.
For 15 years, Lauren Laws has dedicated her career to Aztec Schools, beginning as a Special Education teacher in 2008. In 2010 she transitioned to General Education, where she spent six years in the classroom working with 4th and 5th graders at Park Avenue Elementary while completing work on her Master's Degree. During her tenure at Park Avenue Elementary, she also served a Lead Teacher, Assistant Principal, and Principal. Lauren has spent the past three years serving as the Associate Superintendent of Teaching and Learning for the district.
Brice Current was a former narcotics agent with the San Juan County Sheriff's Office in Aztec, NM. He was hired as Durango's Deputy Police Chief in 2019.
Crews arrived to find a camp trailer on fire and one occupant still inside. Another occupant was transported to the hospital with minor injuries and has since been released. Despite a quick response from fire crews, one occupant was found dead in the trailer after the fire was extinguished.
The name of the deceased is not yet released.
The FMS Board of Education authorized school security personnel to carry firearms on school premises during their January 9, 2024, meeting. The move paved the way for the hiring of Armed Campus Safety Monitors (ACSMs), former certified law enforcement officers tasked with providing an additional layer of protection for students and staff during emergencies.
Farmington Officials gathered with representatives from the NM Department of Transportation and San Juan County to break ground on the long-anticipated Pinon Hills Boulevard Extension Project. San Juan County announced that design work on their section of the project is 90% completed.
Kevin Summers will be returning to the Bloomfield School District as Superintendent, after the retirement of Dr. Kim Mizell at the end of the current school year. Summers' hire makes an opening in the Superintendent's Office in Aztec where he has served for the past three years.