Sediment characteristics of the New River Tennessee
Results of extensive water quality sampling in the New River basin of Tennessee indicate that a significant characteristic of the water resource is high suspended sediment loads. Calculations show that during the 1977 water year approximately 590,000 tons of suspended sediment were discharged from the 382 square mile basin and approximately 540,000 tons were discharged during the 1978 water year. More than 90 percent of this suspended sediment is silt and clay. This large load of fine-grained sediment imparts a turbid appearance to the water and transports a proportionally large load of sorbed trace metals. In contrast to this fine-grained suspended load is an apparently large volume of coal which is transported as bedload during runoff events. Preliminary results of bedload measurements indicate that the coal ranges in size from fine sand to very coarse gravel and frequently accounts for over 50 percent by weight of the material in the sample. Management and control of sediment in the New River basin is very difficult due to the steep terrain of the basin, and the location of sediment source areas, such as haul roads and coal handling operations, adjacent to steam channels
- Research Organization:
- Geological Survey, Nashville, TN
- OSTI ID:
- 5432439
- Report Number(s):
- CONF-791262-
- Journal Information:
- Univ. Ky., Off. Eng. Serv., (Bull.); (United States), Conference: Symposium on surface mining hydrology, sedimentology and reclamation, Lexington, KY, USA, 4 Dec 1979
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
SURFACE MINING
ENVIRONMENTAL EFFECTS
EROSION
WATER POLLUTION
TENNESSEE
COAL MINING
ENVIRONMENTAL TRANSPORT
PHYSICAL PROPERTIES
RIVERS
SEDIMENTS
WATER QUALITY
WATERSHEDS
ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY
FEDERAL REGION IV
MASS TRANSFER
MINING
NORTH AMERICA
POLLUTION
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SURFACE WATERS
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