Impact of surface coal mining and reclamation on the hydrogeology at Iowa Coal Project Demonstration Mine No. 1, Mahaska County, Iowa. [MS thesis]

Technical Report · Sun Jul 01 04:00:00 EDT 1979

DOI:https://doi.org/10.2172/6041100· OSTI ID:6041100

Stangl, D. W.

The groundwater effects of surface mining at ICP No. 1 can be classified primarily as water quality and water quantity effects. The water quantity effects are: the loss of groundwater saturation in spoil materials that were initially removed from over the coal and later replaced; the dewatering of high permeability geologic strata up gradient of mining area; the increase in porosity and possibly permeability in refilled spoil materials; and the change in groundwater gradients in mined areas and near the sediment pond. The water quality effects are: the generation of slightly mineralized enclaves near the sediment pond and spoil accumulations; the generation of thin zones of highly mineralized water near the base of reclaimed spoil probably due mostly to remnant acid mine water; and reduction of water quality in coal seams as a result of dewatering at the time of mining and subsequent oxidation of their pyrite content. Most effects of water quantity loss in and around the mine are not permanent. Water quality disturbances of the fringe areas of reclaimed mine areas will be very slow in attenuating because of the slow groundwater flow through these materials. Adulterated groundwaters in high permeability areas such as the flood plain alluvium will be more quickly attenuated than those in the mine spoil areas, but these enclaves also have the potential to effect much larger areas due to more rapid groundwater movement. Reduced pH and alkalinity were observed in very restricted areas near the east side of the sediment pond.

• Research Organization: Ames Lab., IA (USA)
• DOE Contract Number: W-7405-ENG-82
• OSTI ID: 6041100
• Report Number(s): IS-T-866
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

01 COAL, LIGNITE, AND PEAT
010900* -- Coal
Lignite
& Peat-- Environmental Aspects
012000 -- Coal
Lignite
& Peat-- Mining
510500 -- Environment
Terrestrial-- Site Resource & Use Studies-- (-1989)
520100 -- Environment
Aquatic-- Basic Studies-- (-1989)
54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
COAL MINING
DATA
DATA FORMS
EXPERIMENTAL DATA
GEOLOGY
GROUND WATER
HYDROGEN COMPOUNDS
HYDROLOGY
INFORMATION
IOWA
LAND RECLAMATION
MIDWEST REGION
MINING
NORTH AMERICA
NUMERICAL DATA
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
SURFACE MINING
TABLES
USA
WATER