Heavy Water - The Work Begins!

Scientist with the US Geological Survey (in conjunction with the US Fish and Wildlife Service) have started sampling the sediment of the Empire Lake (Part of Spring River in Cherokee County KS). The Joplin Globe, Wednesday, August 10, 2005, reported on the Phase One project, called Cherokee County Streambed and Empire Lake Sediment Assessment. 'For nearly 100 years, Empire Lake has been collecting sediment coming from the lead and zinc mining fields in Southeast Kansas and Southwest Missouri. An on-going study, involving 40 core samples, will determine how much lead and zinc has been trapped in the sediment and whether it poses an environmental risk to acquatic life.' http://www.joplinglobe.com/story.php?story_id=200815&PHPSESSID=14a25f4920d866cdf3fcc2153c83dd0c

Preliminary findings published in the article found:
Concentrations of lead ranged from 22 to 7,400 parts per million. Estimated natural background concentrations of lead would be less than 20 parts per million (ppm). 56 percent of the sites sampled exceeded quality guidelines and could be hazardous to some acquatic species.
Concentrations of zinc ranged from 100 to 45,000 ppm. Estimated natural background concentrations of zinc would be less than 100 ppm. 75 percent of the sites sampled exceeded sediment quality guidelines and could be hazardous to some acquatic species.
Concentrations were highest in Short Creek, near Galena KS, and TarCreek, near Treece, KS.