30-year rise in copper, zinc, and sulfate levels in Colorado mountain streams due to acid rock drainage linked to climate change.
Warming temperatures are leading to a rise in copper, zinc, and sulfate levels in Colorado mountain streams due to acid rock drainage. Over the past 30 years, metal concentrations have nearly doubled, posing risks to ecosystems, water quality, and mining remediation efforts. The main driver of this trend is climate change, with natural chemical weathering of bedrock as the source of rising acidity and metals.
April 23, 2024
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