Abstract |
In 1964, a mine drainage pollution control demonstration project was undertaken near Elkins, West Virginia. The area contained a large drift mine (3,000 acres) which had been extensively surface mined along the outcrop. The objective of the project was to determine the effect on the water quality of 'air' sealing and diverting water away from the underground mine and reclaiming the surface mines. Some 450 subsidence holes were filled, over 12.5 miles of surface mines were reclaimed and 101 seals constructed. Approximately 640 acres of land were disturbed during reclamation which were revegetated in the spring of 1968. This paper reports the effectiveness of the reclamation work for the first two years following construction. The reclamation and revegetation of the surface mines and refuse piles have shown some benefits, however, an equilibrium condition has not been established and the long term effects have yet to be determined. While some areas have shown trends of continued improvement, others showed an improvement the first year, followed by some deterioration the second year. Air sealing, under the conditions at Elkins was unsuccessful, except for one site, the oxygen concentration behind the seal has not decreased and the pollution loads have not decreased. For the combined watershed of Roaring Creek and Grassy Run there has been over a 1,500 ton decrease in the acidity load for the base year 1966. However, none of the streams in either watershed has returned to its unpolluted state. (WRSIC abstract) |