Railroad Creek monitoring

Railroad Creek flows from the eastern slope of the North Cascades into Lake Chelan. Runoff from the former Holden Mine site has degraded water quality and stream biology over the past several decades. Our scientists are studying how the mine remediation work affects aquatic life uses over time.
 


Monitoring results

Explore the project's background and study results in this interactive story map.

Long-term monitoring plan

We are studying Railroad Creek over the long term to assess aquatic life uses at the Holden mine site.

We're measuring watershed health at multiple locations surrounding the mine site by sampling stream biological communities, water, and sediment, as well as making physical habitat measurements.

By working upstream, downstream, and at the mine remediation area, we are able to see how the stream’s health changes as it moves from the upper watershed, through the mine cleanup area, and onward to Lake Chelan.

Timeline for the Railroad Creek monitoring project

Ongoing mine remediation work at the Holden mine site on Railroad Creek, 2015