A Survey Of The Effects Of Metals On Park Lake And Frohner Basin

Abstract

A study on water quality was taken over a two year period, 1974 and 1976, ranging from April to November on the Park Lake-Lump Gulch Area in Jefferson County, Montana. Tests were conducted for copper, zinc, iron, lead, pH, specific electrical conductance, temperature, and dissolved oxygen content. Severe winter kills and mortality rates for fish plants were common reports in the previous years, however, neither occurred during the 1976 test season. Conditions were studied for both fish and human safety. Results showed no single cause as detrimental to the area except in the immediate Frohner Mine area. Some speculation concerning synergistic effects of toxicants, precipitating metals, and other prevalent conditions are made.