Groundwater maintenance at the vulcan materials quarry in Chattanooga, Tennessee
The Vulcan Materials Shallowford Road Quarry in Chattanooga, Tennessee is the largest active limestone quarry in the state. Currently it covers some 35 hectares with highwalls up to 100 m. Production is predominately from Middle Ordovician Limestone of the Stones River Group. The upper 60 m consists of medium-bedded gray limestone of the Pond Springs Formation, while the lower 40 m are in Lower Ordovician dolomites and limestones belonging to the Mascot Formation of the Knox Group. The present quarry began in 1951 and has been in continuous operation since that time. For several years the influx of groundwater into the quarry was so great that over 11,355 liters per minute had to be removed by a series of pumps. A source of much of the groundwater was thought to be from Friar Branch which flowed near the present quarry site. At low water, several sinkholes were observed in the bottom of the stream. Several attempts were made (unsuccessfully) to fill these sinks. On July 17, 1984, a 184 m trench was dug along the north side of Friar Branch and fifty-one sections of 1.2 m diameter pipe were placed in the trench. Each 4 m section was made water tight and the water from Friar branch was then diverted into the pipe. Bulldozers scraped the dry bed of Friar Branch in an attempt to locate all major cavities and sinkholes. These were filled with grout and the bed of the creek was covered with about 7 to 8 cm of crushed rock and rolled. The entire stream was sealed with grout and then the stream was returned to its original course. The results was a marked reduction in groundwater seepage into the quarry.
- Research Organization:
- Univ. of Tennessee, Chattanooga (USA)
- OSTI ID:
- 5811582
- Report Number(s):
- CONF-8510489-
- Journal Information:
- Geol. Soc. Am., Abstr. Programs; (United States), Vol. 36; Conference: 98. annual meeting of the Geological Society of America, Orlando, FL, USA, 28-31 Oct 1985
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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Related Subjects
CAVES
GROUTING
GROUND WATER
WATER REMOVAL
SURFACE MINING
WATER INFLUX
HYDROLOGY
LIMESTONE
MINES
STREAMS
TENNESSEE
CARBONATE ROCKS
CAVITIES
FEDERAL REGION IV
HYDROGEN COMPOUNDS
MINING
NORTH AMERICA
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
REMOVAL
ROCKS
SEDIMENTARY ROCKS
SURFACE WATERS
UNDERGROUND FACILITIES
USA
WATER
580100* - Geology & Hydrology- (-1989)