Water Resources Professional Project Reports

Authors

Zoe Isaacson

Document Type

Technical Report

Publication Date

2014

Abstract

The purpose of this research was to track the evolution of a constructed wetland system through time while taking into consideration anthropogenic perturbations to the system. It was accomplished by reviewing 30 years-worth of literature associated with the project site, gleaning relevant information, and then synthesizing the information to form a complete evolutionary timeline. In August 2012 a wetland was constructed using water from the evaporation ponds. The Dutchman Canyon wetland, a continuous flow, free surface wetland, was thus formed. The wetland was intended to passively treat poor-quality mine seepage and impart an improved wetland habitat for a diversity fauna occupying the almost 600,000 acre Vermejo Park Ranch (Ranch) where this system is located (Figure 1). The expanded wetland acreage at Dutchman Figure 1: Location map (Isaacson, 2013) 7 Figure 2: Swastika Dutchman Mine Complex Pre-Reclamation (Isaacson, 2014) was also expected to offset wetland losses associated with a large-scale reclamation project within the same mine complex.

Language (ISO)

English

Keywords

wetland, Dutchman Canyon

Comments

A Professional Project Submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Water Resources, Water Resources Program, at the University of New Mexico.

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