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April 5, 2009--Mercury mystery in state waters (Denver Post)

The idyllic scene — calm, slate-blue waters fringed by evergreens and snow — belied the problem: a build-up of dangerous mercury in the reservoir's walleye. The heavy metal, however, isn't found in fish in all lakes or all species in tainted lakes — a phenomenon in Colorado and in other parts of the country. "We've got some very hot fish in some, but not in all our reservoirs," said Nicole Vieira, a state Division of Wildlife aquatic toxicologist. "If we can figure out what is at work, we might be able to manage the fish stocks to reduce mercury," she said. At the same time, Colorado has issued regulations requiring mercury air emissions from power plants — a prime source of the pollutant — be cut 90 percent by 2018.

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