IMPACT OF SURFACE COAL MINING ON THREE OHIO WATERSHEDS –PHYSICAL CONDITIONS AND GROUND‐WATER HYDROLOGY¹

Abstract

A study was conducted over a six-year period in East-Central Ohio to determine the effects of surface mining and reclamation on physical watershed conditions and on ground-water hydrology in three ground-water zones in three small experimental watersheds. Mining disturbances in watersheds adjacent to the experimental sites affected ground-water levels in the undisturbed experimental watersheds prior to actual mining in the experimental sites. New subsurface flow paths, with different characteristics, formed during mining and reclamation. At all three sites mining dewatered the saturated zone above the underclay of the mined coal seam. Mining and reclamation affected ground-water levels below the mined coal seam in the middle and lower zones within at least two sites. Ground-water level recovery in the mined upper saturated zone was slow and irregular both temporally and spatially after reclamation. Hydraulic conductivities of postmining (Phase 3) spoil were generally greater than those of Phase 1 bedrock, but wide spatial variability was observed. Modelers need to be aware of the complexities of new flow paths and physical characteristics of subsurface flow media that are introduced by mining and reclamation, including destruction of the upper-zone clay. (KEY TERMS: baseflow; water levels; water chemistry; spring flow; spoil; disturbed land; hydraulic conductivity; regulations.) 1Paper No. 91054 of the Water Resources Bulletin. Discussions are open until February 1, 1993. 2Respectively, Research Hydraulic Engineer, USDA-ARS,

Mountaintop removal mining reduces stream salamander occupancy and richness in southeastern Kentucky (USA)

“…Reclaimed mine sites have soils containing unweathered rock that is heavily compacted to reduce erosion, resulting in altered water tables and disturbed flow paths (Bonta et al, 1992;Bernhardt and Palmer, 2011). In particular, compacted soils lead to high rates of storm water runoff.…”

IMPACT OF COAL SURFACE MINING AND RECLAMATION ON SUSPENDED SEDIMENT IN THREE OHIO WATERSHEDS1

“…Consequently, the USDA-Agricultural Research Service (ARS) at the North Appalachian Experimental quality, ground-water hydrology and water quality, and on sedimentation. Other parts of the study are documented in Bonta et al (1991Bonta et al ( , 1992aBonta et al ( , 1992bBonta et al ( , 1997; Bonta and Sutton (1983); Dick et al (1983Dick et al ( , 1986; Amerman et al (1982); and USBM (1978, 1982a, 1982b, 1983a, 1983b, 1983c, 1984). The objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of mining and reclamation upon suspended-sediment concentrations and yields at the three watersheds.…”

Hydrologic Effects of Surface Coal Mining in Appalachia (U.S.)

“…One of the most complete experimental studies of subsurface hydrology in mined sites in the Appalachian region took place on three small watersheds with gently rolling relief in eastern Ohio that were intensively monitored before, during, and after surface mining and reclamation (Bonta et al ., ). They found hydraulic conductivities of spoil after mining varied over the reclaimed areas, and ranged from an order of magnitude lower to four orders of magnitude greater than pre‐mining conditions.…”