Exploration of Diffuse and Discrete Sources of Acid Mine Drainage to a Headwater Mountain Stream in Colorado, USA

Johnston, Allison; Runkel, Robert L.; Navarre‐Sitchler, Alexis; Singha, Kamini

doi:10.1007/s10230-017-0452-6

Cited by 10 publications

(4 citation statements)

References 59 publications

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“…As a result, AMD is a suitable target for ERT imaging and TL-ERT monitoring (Buselli and Lu 2001 ; Johnston et al. 2017 ), which enables the detection and delineation of areas within TSFs or WRPs where contaminated drainage is generated (e.g., Bortnikova et al. ( 2013 ); Shokri et al.…”

Section: Emergence Challenges and Perspectives Of Tl-ert For Mining W...mentioning

confidence: 99%

“…( 2017 ) Morocco Drâa-Tafilalet TSF 2D ERT lines (x5) 300m to 1200m Imaging of potential AMD flowpaths in abandoned TSF Identification of fractures Johnston et al. ( 2017 ) United States Colorado TSF 2D ERT line 500m ERT mapping of potential diffuse sources of AMD Comparison with local geochemical and water EC Casagrande et al. ( 2018 ) Brazil Minas Gerais WRP pseudo-3D ERT 600m x 900m Large-scale 3D mapping of AMD affected water Design of future reclamation Bortnikova et al.…”

Section: Emergence Challenges and Perspectives Of Tl-ert For Mining W...mentioning

confidence: 99%

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A Review on Applications of Time-Lapse Electrical Resistivity Tomography Over the Last 30 Years : Perspectives for Mining Waste Monitoring

et al. 2022

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Mining operations generate large amounts of wastes which are usually stored into large-scale storage facilities which pose major environmental concerns and must be properly monitored to manage the risk of catastrophic failures and also to control the generation of contaminated mine drainage. In this context, non-invasive monitoring techniques such as time-lapse electrical resistivity tomography (TL-ERT) are promising since they provide large-scale subsurface information that complements surface observations (walkover, aerial photogrammetry or remote sensing) and traditional monitoring tools, which often sample a tiny proportion of the mining waste storage facilities. The purposes of this review are as follows: (i) to understand the current state of research on TL-ERT for various applications; (ii) to create a reference library for future research on TL-ERT and geoelectrical monitoring mining waste; and (iii) to identify promising areas of development and future research needs on this issue according to our experience. This review describes the theoretical basis of geoelectrical monitoring and provides an overview of TL-ERT applications and developments over the last 30 years from a database of over 650 case studies, not limited to mining operations (e.g., landslide, permafrost). In particular, the review focuses on the applications of ERT for mining waste characterization and monitoring and a database of 150 case studies is used to identify promising applications for long-term autonomous geoelectrical monitoring of the geotechnical and geochemical stability of mining wastes. Potential challenges that could emerge from a broader adoption of TL-ERT monitoring for mining wastes are discussed. The review also considers recent advances in instrumentation, data acquisition, processing and interpretation for long-term monitoring and draws future research perspectives and promising avenues which could help improve the design and accuracy of future geoelectric monitoring programs in mining wastes.

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Section: Emergence Challenges and Perspectives Of Tl-ert For Mining W...mentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Emergence Challenges and Perspectives Of Tl-ert For Mining W...mentioning

confidence: 99%

A Review on Applications of Time-Lapse Electrical Resistivity Tomography Over the Last 30 Years : Perspectives for Mining Waste Monitoring

et al. 2022

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“…A wide variety of studies have documented seeps acting as contaminant sources to rivers. Seeps and/or springs have been documented to transport nutrients (Williams et al ), pesticides (Van Stempvoort et al ), wastewater and pharmaceuticals (Humphrey et al ; Spoelstra et al ), coal combustion products (Harkness et al ), petroleum‐related compounds (Humphrey et al ), trichloroethylene (TCE) (Chapman et al ), road salts (Foos ), landfill leachate (Atekwana and Krishnamurthy ), bacteria (Fisher et al ; Baker et al ), Giardia (Rose et al ), and acid mine drainage (Brake et al ; Johnston et al ) to nearby streams and wetlands. Generally, these elevated seep contaminant inputs are related to land‐use and human activities within the seep catchment that are associated with fertilizer and manure, pesticide, coal, oil, and gas activities, waste management, wastewater, and livestock, pet, and wildlife waste.…”

Section: Seeps As Contaminant Sourcesmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…They concluded that even after reclamation, the seeps and other inputs of acid mine drainage resulted in impaired aquatic ecology. Johnston et al () studied acid mine drainage from a gold and silver mine to a headwater stream in Empire, CO. They found that pH was inversely related to seep specific conductivity.…”

Section: Seeps As Contaminant Sourcesmentioning

confidence: 99%

Groundwater Seeps: Portholes to Evaluate Groundwater’s Influence on Stream Water Quality

O’Driscoll

DeWalle

Humphrey

et al. 2019

Contemporary Water Research

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Recent legal cases have suggested that contaminated seeps and/or springs that have measurable impacts on adjacent surface water quality may fall under the jurisdiction of the Clean Water Act (CWA). An improved understanding of the effects of groundwater seeps on surface water quality is needed to support the evolving legal and regulatory environment. Surface seeps or seepage zones are locations where upwelling groundwater saturates the surface. Seeps can provide groundwater that may be transported to nearby surface waters along surface and shallow subsurface flowpaths. From a water quality perspective, seeps can provide portholes to observe groundwater quality. Here we consider examples of seeps as contaminant sources or sinks across a range of watershed disturbance and synthesize the seep water quality literature to help answer the questions: Why do seeps act as contaminant sinks in some cases and contaminant sources in others? What areas of seep water quality research can help apprise the legal and policy discussion on the role of the CWA to address groundwater contamination that is conveyed to streams? Overall, the case studies and literature review indicated that seep water quality data can provide valuable insights into the effects of stream-groundwater interactions on stream water quality. Future work on seep-surface water interactions is needed to characterize seep water quality behavior across a range of hydrogeological, meteorological, and land-use conditions to better understand the locations where seeps are more likely to convey contaminants to streams and affect stream water quality.

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Synoptic sampling and principal components analysis to identify sources of water and metals to an acid mine drainage stream

Byrne

Runkel

Walton-Day

2017

Environ Sci Pollut Res

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Combining the synoptic mass balance approach with principal components analysis (PCA) can be an effective method for discretising the chemistry of inflows and source areas in watersheds where contamination is diffuse in nature and/or complicated by groundwater interactions. This paper presents a field-scale study in which synoptic sampling and PCA are employed in a mineralized watershed (Lion Creek, Colorado, USA) under low flow conditions to (i) quantify the impacts of mining activity on stream water quality; (ii) quantify the spatial pattern of constituent loading; and (iii) identify inflow sources most responsible for observed changes in stream chemistry and constituent loading. Several of the constituents investigated (Al, Cd, Cu, Fe, Mn, Zn) fail to meet chronic aquatic life standards along most of the study reach. The spatial pattern of constituent loading suggests four primary sources of contamination under low flow conditions. Three of these sources are associated with acidic (pH <3.1) seeps that enter along the left bank of Lion Creek. Investigation of inflow water (trace metal and major ion) chemistry using PCA suggests a hydraulic connection between many of the left bank inflows and mine water in the Minnesota Mine shaft located to the north-east of the river channel. In addition, water chemistry data during a rainfall-runoff event suggests the spatial pattern of constituent loading may be modified during rainfall due to dissolution of efflorescent salts or erosion of streamside tailings. These data point to the complexity of contaminant mobilisation processes and constituent loading in mining-affected watersheds but the combined synoptic sampling and PCA approach enables a conceptual model of contaminant dynamics to be developed to inform remediation.Electronic supplementary materialThe online version of this article (doi:10.1007/s11356-017-9038-x) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

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Exploration of Diffuse and Discrete Sources of Acid Mine Drainage to a Headwater Mountain Stream in Colorado, USA

Cited by 10 publications

References 59 publications

A Review on Applications of Time-Lapse Electrical Resistivity Tomography Over the Last 30 Years : Perspectives for Mining Waste Monitoring

A Review on Applications of Time-Lapse Electrical Resistivity Tomography Over the Last 30 Years : Perspectives for Mining Waste Monitoring

Groundwater Seeps: Portholes to Evaluate Groundwater’s Influence on Stream Water Quality

Synoptic sampling and principal components analysis to identify sources of water and metals to an acid mine drainage stream

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