page_title: California Gulch
section_title: Hazards
hierarchical_section_title: California Gulch / Hazards
caption_attribution_description: English: EPA Superfund Sites in Reuse in Colorado - Sports Complex
context_page_description: The California Gulch site consists of approximately 18 square miles in Lake County, Colorado. The area includes the city of Leadville, parts of the Leadville Historic Mining District and a section of the Arkansas River from the confluence of California Gulch downstream to the confluence of Two-Bit Gulch. The site was listed as a Superfund site in 1983.
context_section_description: According to the EPA, the Current Human Exposure status of the California Gulch site is considered to be Not Under Control. Operable Unit 12, responsible for Sitewide Surface and Groundwater Quality, is currently in the remedial action phase of cleanup. This phase includes construction or implementation of the project design, but not complete cleanup. In order for the human exposure status of the site to be considered under control, contamination levels must be safe and controls must be in place to prevent human exposure. Since the area is a major water supply to surrounding homes and businesses, monitoring of lead levels in the groundwater is currently ongoing and thus far indicates that contaminant levels have declined or remained stable. Although risk may be low, blood lead levels are a major concern, especially for pregnant women, nursing mothers, and children as contaminants can cause a variety of adverse health effects such as cell toxicity or neurodevelopmental defects. As a result, current blood-lead testing, outreach and education programs are being implemented in the Lake County area. The next step in the cleanup process is to conduct a 5-year review to determine the success of the current plan in protecting human health and the environment.
caption: EPA Superfund Sites in Reuse in Colorado - Sports Complex
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