Recovery and reconnaissance of the Leading Creek watershed, Meigs County, Ohio, following a dewatering of Meigs {number_sign}31 coal mine
- Virginia Polytechnic Inst. and State Univ., Blacksburg, VA (United States). Dept. of Biology
A database has been developed before and after the dewatering of the Meigs {number_sign}31 deep coal mine in Meigs County, Ohio, three years ago. This strategy was to compare potential recovery of the watershed in the mainstem of Leading Creek as well as to reconnaissance the tributaries for point-source input into the creek. After the dewatering process, {approximately} half of the 31-mile Leading Creek mainstem received a discharge of conductivity, low pH, high metals (iron, manganese, copper, aluminum), and total suspended solids (TSS). Most forms of aquatic life in the creek were depleted in the impacted areas, but recovery has been encouraging. Relative fish abundance has returned to pre-event levels, while benthic macroinvertebrates show recovery in two key stream segments. Reconnaissance of the watershed indicated that the system is uniquely segregated with high sedimentation from agricultural input in the upper half and abandoned mined land (AML) discharges in the lower. The AML-influenced tributaries were intermittently toxic throughout the year with 48-hr LC50 values of 14.6--6.0% effluent at Thomas Fork tributary. Macroinvertebrate assemblages in many of the AML and agriculturally influenced tributaries ranged from 0--3 taxa. The consequence of erosion/sedimentation loading is being addressed relative to autochromous input of in-stream AML/TSS input versus that from allochthomous input from stream bank/land use management.
- OSTI ID:
- 452115
- Report Number(s):
- CONF-961149-; TRN: 97:006640
- Resource Relation:
- Conference: 17. annual meeting of the Society of Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry: partnerships for the environment - science, education, and policy, Washington, DC (United States), 17-21 Nov 1996; Other Information: PBD: 1995; Related Information: Is Part Of SETAC 17. annual meeting -- Abstract book. Partnerships for the environment: Science, education, and policy; PB: 378 p.
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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