Runoff water quality and hydrology at coal refuse disposal sites in southern Illinois

Conference · Wed Dec 01 04:00:00 EST 1982 · Univ. Ky., Off. Eng. Serv., (Bull.); (United States)

OSTI ID:5400405

Prodan, P F; Mele, L M; Schubert, J P

Data on water quality and other hydrologic parameters were gathered from runoff at three abandoned, unreclaimed, coal-refuse disposal sites in southern Illinois. Two of the sites were subsequently recontoured, limed, covered with 30 cm of glacial till and loess, fertilized, and seeded. Data collected one to four years after reconstruction of these sites indicated that 1) runoff rates were increased because the soil cover was less permeable than the coal refuse and 2) acidity, sulfate, and metal concentrations in surface runoff waters were greatly reduced following renovation. However, gradual increases in acidity, sulfate, and metal concentrations in runoff water at one of these sites were seen two years after reconstruction, and these concentrations may continue to rise in the future. This indicates that the pyrite and iron sulfate salts in the coal refuse will make reclamation a gradual and long-term process, rather than one that can be carried out quickly by grading, liming, and covering with soil.

• Research Organization: Argonne National Lab, IL
• OSTI ID: 5400405
• Report Number(s): CONF-821175-
• Conference Information: Journal Name: Univ. Ky., Off. Eng. Serv., (Bull.); (United States)
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

01 COAL, LIGNITE, AND PEAT
010900* -- Coal
Lignite
& Peat-- Environmental Aspects
510500 -- Environment
Terrestrial-- Site Resource & Use Studies-- (-1989)
520100 -- Environment
Aquatic-- Basic Studies-- (-1989)
54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
CHEMISTRY
COAL MINING
COMPARATIVE EVALUATIONS
CONTROL
ENVIRONMENTAL EFFECTS
ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY
FEDERAL REGION V
ILLINOIS
LAND RECLAMATION
MANAGEMENT
MEASURING INSTRUMENTS
MINERAL WASTES
MINING
MONITORS
NORTH AMERICA
POLLUTION
POLLUTION CONTROL
SOLID WASTES
SURFACE MINING
USA
WASTE DISPOSAL
WASTE MANAGEMENT
WASTES
WATER CHEMISTRY
WATER POLLUTION
WATER POLLUTION CONTROL
WATER POLLUTION MONITORS
WATER QUALITY