Project Case Study: New Mexico
Lake Valley is a ghost town and historic mining area. Several historic houses and buildings occupy the town, which is on the New Mexico Register of Historic Places. Two of the town’s structures on BLM land have been stabilized, including a church and a schoolhouse which serves as a repository for historical artifacts. Hiking trails with historic markers have been constructed. The objective of the AML contract was to safeguard and/or reclaim potentially dangerous mine features while preserving historical mining structures, so visitors could safely enjoy the area.
In the summer of 1995, three college students, hired by BLM, inventoried the mine features. Detailed information, GPS locations, and photographs were taken. This information was made available to the NMAMLB. Starting in 1999, cultural, environmental, and biological studies commenced. In 2005, the Phase I Contract closed all the dangerous BLM features. Most involved backfilling. Several shafts involved bat cupolas and several adits were closed with bat gates. This allows continued use of the underground workings by bats and owls. A head frame was stabilized and placed back over one of the closed shafts.
For more information on our New Mexico AML sites, please visit the BLM New Mexico State Office AML Web site or the New Mexico AML Strategic Plan.
New Mexico Case Study: Lake Valley Historic Mining District
Location
Lake Valley is along State Highway 27, a Backcountry Byway, between Hillsboro and Nutt, approximately 35 miles southwest of Truth or Consequences.
Type of Site
The site includes a ghost town and mining area with hundreds of potentially dangerous mine features including open shafts, pits, and adits. Both BLM and patented (private) land are involved. The site is high desert with no permanent surface water (the Lake in Lake Valley is nonexistent).
Estimated Cost
$400,000
Start Date
The Lake Valley Phase I Contract (NM AML Bureau) safeguarded and/or reclaimed 63 features on BLM land and 21 features on private land during the summer of 2005. Phase II is scheduled to start late 2006. These contracts are funded by grants from the Office of Surface Mining from fees imposed on coal mining.
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