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Boise River/Atlanta Gold Mine

A Canadian mining company’s proposal for a cyanide heap leach gold mine upstream of Boise placed the Boise River in the top ten list of the nation’s most endangered rivers. American Rivers listed the Boise River as America’s sixth-most endangered river for 2006.

Idaho’s Boise River provides drinking water for 55,000 people, irrigates 300,000 acres of farmland, and hosts over 100,000 floaters a year. The mining company, Atlanta Gold, plans to blast two giant pits and remove over 1,000 feet of mountain in the river’s headwaters. Rock taken from the pits would be crushed and placed on leach pads, then doused with a cyanide solution to extract any gold. More than 27 million tons of mining waste containing arsenic would be dumped in a valley overlooking the town of Atlanta, Idaho.

Sportsmen, conservationists, and families downstream are concerned about the massive amounts of cyanide and diesel fuel that will be hauled and stored on site. The Boise River provides more than 20 percent of Boise’s drinking water supply.

The annual America’s Most Endangered Rivers report highlights ten rivers facing a major turning point in the coming year, where action by citizens can make a huge difference for both community well-being and river health. The report highlights the rivers facing the most uncertain futures rather than those suffering from the worst chronic problems. The report identifies those who make the crucial decisions, and points out opportunities for the public to take action on behalf of each listed river.