California Gulch

NPL Site
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Leadville, CO

According to the EPA Superfund Enterprise Management System, California Gulch in Leadville, CO is listed with NPL status NPL Site. Its Hazard Ranking System (HRS) score is 55.84. The public extract catalogs 39 contaminant records for this site. NPL listing is a cleanup-authority designation, not a measured health-risk score.

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Superfund National Priorities List inclusion (status and HRS score shown above) is the EPA's formal designation that a contaminated site qualifies for long-term federal cleanup authority under the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA). A federal-facility classification means the site is owned or operated by a federal agency, which routes cleanup responsibility differently than a privately owned site.

"Construction Complete" (status shown above) is an EPA milestone marking that the physical remedy work is finished, not that the site has exited EPA oversight; long-term monitoring can continue afterward. Deletion from the NPL is a separate, later step the EPA takes only once it determines every planned response action is finished.

NPL listing is a cleanup-authority designation in the EPA record, not a quantitative health-risk score. HRS scores of 28.50 or above qualify a site for the NPL under the EPA screening model (toxicity, pathways, waste quantity, and affected population factors). For current site conditions and official community notices, see the EPA Regional Superfund profile and the Colorado environmental agency.

What is the cleanup status of this Superfund site?

NPL Status
NPL Site
Federal Facility
No
Construction Complete
No
HRS Score
55.84
Deleted from NPL
No

Contaminants

Contaminant Media
ARSENIC Groundwater
ARSENIC Liquid Waste
ARSENIC Other
ARSENIC Sediment
ARSENIC Soil
ARSENIC Solid Waste
ARSENIC Surface Water
CADMIUM Groundwater
CADMIUM Other
CADMIUM Sediment
CADMIUM Soil
CADMIUM Solid Waste
CADMIUM Surface Water
COPPER Groundwater
COPPER Sediment
COPPER Soil
COPPER Solid Waste
COPPER Surface Water
IRON Sediment
LEAD Groundwater
LEAD Liquid Waste
LEAD Other
LEAD Sediment
LEAD Soil
LEAD Solid Waste
LEAD Surface Water
MANGANESE Groundwater
MERCURY Soil
METALS Groundwater
METALS Surface Water
SULFATE Groundwater
SULFATE Sediment
SULFATE Surface Water
ZINC Groundwater
ZINC Other
ZINC Sediment
ZINC Soil
ZINC Solid Waste
ZINC Surface Water

Location

City
Leadville
Coordinates
39.2361, -106.2692

Other Superfund Sites in Colorado

Site Name Status HRS Score
Air Force Plant PJKS NPL Site 42.93
Bonita Peak Mining District NPL Site 50.00
Broderick Wood Products NPL Site 35.13
Captain Jack Mill NPL Site 50.56
Central City, Clear Creek NPL Site 51.39
Chemical Sales Co. NPL Site 37.93
Colorado Smelter NPL Site 50.00
Denver Radium Site NPL Site 44.11
Eagle Mine NPL Site 47.19
Lincoln Park NPL Site 31.31

How does this site's HRS score compare in Colorado?

Of the 24 Colorado Superfund sites with a scored Hazard Ranking System (HRS) evaluation, California Gulch ranks #5 by score (55.84).

Either side of it: Smeltertown Site (58.56), Rocky Mountain Arsenal (USARMY) (58.15), Central City, Clear Creek (51.39), Captain Jack Mill (50.56)

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the California Gulch Superfund site?
California Gulch is one of the higher hazard-ranked Superfund sites EPA tracks in Colorado (HRS 55.84, rank #5 of 24 scored sites in the state), located in Leadville, CO. Superfund sites are contaminated locations identified by the EPA for long-term cleanup under CERCLA; a higher HRS rank reflects the EPA's scoring model, not a certified danger level.
What does NPL listing mean for California Gulch?
According to the EPA, National Priorities List (NPL) listing designates a site for long-term federal Superfund cleanup authority. It is a programmatic status in the Superfund Enterprise Management System, not a quantitative health-risk score for nearby residents. Construction-complete status is not marked in the EPA record for this site. Site-specific conditions and community guidance are published by EPA Regional Superfund offices and the relevant state environmental agency.
What is the HRS score for California Gulch?
California Gulch's Hazard Ranking System (HRS) score is 55.84, placing it #5 of 24 Colorado Superfund sites with a scored HRS evaluation -- among the higher-scored sites in the state. Sites with a score of 28.50 or greater qualify for the NPL; the model weighs contaminant toxicity, waste quantity, release likelihood, and affected population, and is not a community health diagnosis.
What contaminants are at the California Gulch site?
The EPA public Superfund extract catalogs 39 contaminants at California Gulch, documented through the remedial investigation process. Counts reflect listed records in that extract, not a complete inventory of every substance ever present.
What is the cleanup status of California Gulch?
California Gulch is currently NPL Site on the National Priorities List. The EPA Superfund cleanup process includes phases from preliminary assessment through post-construction completion.

NPL listing is a cleanup-authority designation in the EPA record, not a quantitative health-risk score. See Superfund Sites Explained for how the National Priorities List, Hazard Ranking System, and cleanup phases work.

Related

Data sourced from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). See our methodology for details. Retrieved and formatted by PlainEnviro