During the 19th and early 20th century, mining and smelting polluted Clear Creek to the point where it was undrinkable, killed the fish, and killed crops when it was used for irrigation. The Argo Tunnel, built in 1893, allowed water to drain out of the mines of Central City and Blackhawk into Clear Creek at Idaho Springs. Golden itself had several smelters, conveniently built along Clear Creek for ease of waste disposal. In 1983, Central City, Clear Creek, and Idaho Springs were declared a Superfund site. Clean up began in 1987.
The Colorado School of Mines Research Institute was also a source of pollution. That became particularly clear when a City water main broke in January of 1992, flooding the CSMRI site and flushing toxic waste into Clear Creek.
34 Years Ago
The March 17, 1992 Golden Transcript announced an exciting new project on Clear Creek. As part of a settlement with the Sierra Club, Coors planned to fund restoration of a section of Clear Creek. The work would recreate the Creek’s original aquatic habitat, including native vegetation.
Pools and channels will be created to improve fish habitat; banks will be stabilized; the creek’s flow will be concentrated to improve recreational opportunities and vegetation, which in turn will create a healthier ecosystem, lower flooding hazards and improve the creek’s appearance, said Jack Hibbert of Coors. – Golden Transcript, March 17, 1992
At the same time, the Environmental Protection Agency was beginning cleanup of the CSMI site. Several years later, those buildings–originally constructed in 1912–were demolished. The Mines athletic complex now occupies for former Superfund site.
The cleanup took longer than anyone had hoped, but in 2009, the West Denver Chapter of Trout Unlimited decided that the Creek had recovered sufficiently to support trout. They led the stream restoration project and called the section the Clear Creek Golden Mile.
Thanks to the cleanup efforts that began in the late 1980s, Golden now has a trout stream, kayak park, and tourist attraction instead of an industrial sewer running through town.
All of this was gleefully anticipated in the Transcript of 32 years ago:
With the restoration project, coupled with the CSMRI cleanup and amenities like Vanover Park, the jewel we know as Clear Creek is starting to shine. – Golden Transcript, March 17, 1992
