Seasonal varability of metals transport through a wetland impacted by mine drainage in the Rocky Mountains.

An annual study of a natural wetland receiving drainage with high concentrations of iron, zinc, and manganese from an abandoned mine tunnel was conducted. During summer, the wetland reduced the mass flow from the tunnel to a receiving stream by more than 90% for iron, by 65% for zinc, and by 25% for manganese. Plant uptake accounted for less than 1% of the total retention.

Redox processes controlling manganese fate and transport in a mountain stream.

The biogeochemical processes controlling the speciation and transport of manganese in a Colorado mountain stream were studied using a conservative tracer approach combined with laboratory experiments. The study stream, Lake Fork Creek, receives manganese-rich inflows from a wetland contaminated by acid mine drainage. A conservative tracer experiment was conducted on a 1300-m reach of the stream.