The 120-acre Smeltertown site is located near Salida in Chaffee County, Colorado. Many industrial businesses operated on site over the past century, including lead-zinc smelting and wood-treating facilities. Site activities associated with these operations included the dumping of molten slag along the Arkansas River and allowing creosote and other wood-treating chemicals to drip onto the ground. These activities contaminated soil, surface water and groundwater with hazardous chemicals and heavy metals. Following cleanup, operation and maintenance activities are ongoing.