Mining Company Representatives
Mining Company Representatives: Background Information
Riverwood originated as a mining town on the Snake River, which provided early residents with a convenient source of water.
Your company intensely mined the hills surrounding Riverwood during the 1930s and 1940s, particularly for zinc and silver.
All by-products of mining and metal-ore processing were collected in storage ponds built in compliance with the specifications and regulations in effect during that era. In average-rainfall seasons, runoff from these ponds contains heavy-metal ions at levels within values specified by your company’s EPA permit. Your company monitors effluent values and keeps all ponds secured. Your structural engineers are responsible for maintaining the storage ponds at abandoned mine sites.
However, during heavy rainfall, people have observed some underground settling in the mines and small landslides in hilly areas near the Snake River.