The Carson River Mercury Site (CRMS) (Figure 1) is located in northwest Nevada and was designated a Superfund site in 1990 because of elevated mercury concentrations observed in surface water, sediments and biota inhabiting the site. The CRMS encompasses the 80-mile Carson River System (CRS) downstream of Carson City, numerous historical mill tailings sites along the Carson River and foothill tributaries, the Lahontan Reservoir constructed approximately 30 miles downstream from Carson City, and the lake, wetland and canal complex downstream from the reservoir. The mill sites used mercury to extract gold and silver from the ore obtained by Comstock Lode mining operations.

• Optimization Review: Carson River Mercury Superfund Site, Carson City, Nevada (PDF)(50 pp, 1 MB, 2014, 542-R-14-007)