Ground water monitoring system design: the Iowa Coal Project demonstration mine No. 1, a case study

Conference · Mon Jan 01 04:00:00 EST 1979

OSTI ID:6355798

Kipp, J A; Gulliford, J B; Stangl, D W; Sendlein, L V.A.

The surface mining of Midwestern coals often causes detrimental changes in associated surface and ground water supplies. The Iowa Coal Project was initiated to study the economic feasibility of the surface mining of Iowa's coal and the subsequent reclamation of areas affected by mining. One portion of this study is designated to monitor the hydrogeological impacts of mining on a 40 acre study site in southeastern Iowa. The purpose of this environmental is two fold. The first objective is to monitor the ground water quality of the mine site for alterations caused by acid effluent generated in mining cuts, highwalls, and spoil storage areas. The second objective is to measure the piezometric changes which occur in the geologic materials in and around the mine. A monitoring network of 49 ground water piezometers and sampling tubes has been placed to accomplish these goals. Additional hydrogeologic data pertaining to the materials of the study site were obtained from drilling logs of 35 auger holes and 26 coal exploration holes. Documentation of background conditions was achieved by fitting many of the exploration borings with sampling tubes. All wells are constructed of 1 1/2 and 2 inch PVC pipe with slotted screens surrounded by pea rock. Nesting of several well casings in individual auger holes allows for an analysis of the vertical distribution of the water which is resaturating the spoil. Bentonite backfill in the holes limits leakage between the different materials penetrated in each location.

• Research Organization: Ames Lab., IA (USA); Illinois Mining and Mineral Resources Research Inst., Carbondale (USA); Southern Illinois Univ., Carbondale (USA). Coal Extraction and Utilization Research Center
• DOE Contract Number: W-7405-ENG-82
• OSTI ID: 6355798
• Report Number(s): IS-M-326; CONF-791262-1; ON: DE81023792
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

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54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
ACID MINE DRAINAGE
BOREHOLES
CAVITIES
COAL MINING
CONTAMINATION
ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS
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HYDROGEN COMPOUNDS
HYDROLOGY
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OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
PIEZOMETRY
SPOIL BANKS
SURFACE MINING
SURFACE WATERS
USA
WATER
WATER QUALITY