Dames & Moore, 1999 - USDA Forest Service

grade of the ore and the short .working season. made the mines not feasible economically. and none of the
mines are in operation today (Darvill, 1996).
2.2.2 Railroad Creek Watershed
It is assumed that the Railroad Creek drainage was utilized historically for hunting and fishing by Native
Americans, as well as for access to the western slopes of the Cascade Mountains (Lenz & Freiberg, 1989).
There are no apparent records of the drainage being utilized by non-native Americans until discovery by
J.H. Holden in 1887. The chronology of the Site From 1887 to present is summarized in the following
section.
2.3 SITE DEVELOPMENT CHRONOLOGY
The following chronology is a summary of key events pertaining to the Site:
- Date . Event
1887 The ore body was first discovered by J. H. Holden, who was a member of a
railroad survey crew (Adams, 198 1).
1892 Mr. Holden staked the first group of claims ho dams, 198 1).
1897 20 mining claims were staked on the Site (Hodges, 1897). Mining claims were
also staked northwest of Hart Lake (west of the Site), on Tenmile Creek, on Wilson
Creek, and between Wilson Creek and Lucerne.
Early 1900s Several unsuccessful attempts by companies formed by Holden were made in the
early 1900s to develop a mine at the Site. During this time, five well-developed
tunnels were completed, ore piles were developed, a mining camp was established
above the valley floor (Honeymoon Heights) which included several buildings, and
twelve miles of semi-completed railroad grade were completed near Lucerne
(Adams, 198 1).
1910s Molybdenum was discovered and mined at Crown Point Falls, approximately 10
miles upstream of the Site near Railroad Creek; the mining discontinued with the
end of World War I (1918). The development of this mine near Railroad Creek
may have affected background concentrations of select metals detected in surface
water today.
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17693005019Uuly 19.1999,2:22 PM:DRAFT FINAL RI REPOR'I
Chelan Copper Mining Company was established as a subsidiary of Howe Sound
Company and explored the ore body.
As a result of concerns voiced by several conservation groups, a bench scale test
was completed by Howe Sound Company to simulate the discharge of tailings-
related water into Railroad Creek and to design a system that would minimize
adverse impacts to trout. A study was also completed by "two well known Pacific