Water Issues Related to Coal Mining in the Appalachian Basin. 26 Sept 11

Transcription

1 Water Issues Related to Coal Mining in the Appalachian Basin 26 Sept 11 West Virginia University Water Research Institute 1

2 West Virginia University Water Research Institute 2

3 West Virginia University Water Research Institute 3

4 West Virginia University Water Research Institute 4

5 West Virginia University Water Research Institute 5

6 West Virginia University Water Research Institute 6

7 Selenium reaction rate in situ control Aquatic effects Dissolved solids Aquatic effects Effects of Multiple MTMs West Virginia University Water Research Institute 7

8 1. Water quality metrics and interpretation 2. Cumulative WQ effects of mountaintop mining 3. Selenium sources and effects West Virginia University Water Research Institute 8

9 Numeric Standards Selenium Sulfate, Chloride Dissolved solids/conductivity Aluminum Water Quality Metrics: rational basis for interpretation, Numeric standards Narrative standards WET standards Use attainability index Managing cumulative impacts Surface vs. underground mines West Virginia University Water Research Institute 9

10 Ceriodaphnia dubia: Sulfate toxicity endpoints (mg/l) Hardness reproduction reproduction survival (mg/l) IC25 IC50 LC ,129 1, ,212 1,257 1, ,619 Elphick, 2011 An aquatic toxicological evaluation of sulfate: the case for considering hardness as a modifying factor in setting water quality guidelines Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry, Vol. 30, No. 1, pp , 2011 West Virginia University Water Research Institute 10

11 1. Water quality metrics and interpretation 2. Cumulative WQ effects of mountaintop mining 3. Selenium sources and effects West Virginia University Water Research Institute 11

12 Landscape Attributes Physico- Chemical Biological Structure Biological Function Natural and Anthropogenic Flow Habitat Water Quality Communities Condition Metrics Production OM Processing Nutrient Uptake Manage toward CWA uses Public water supply Fishery Recreation

13 Conductivity Futures: Spikes in EC are a low flow problem Most of the EC comes from UG discharges If you can reduce future conductivity by 75% you could develop 15 more permits and only raise EC by 2%: Current 75% imp + 15 Solution: End of pipe approaches are inefficient. Manage EC on a watershed basis. # streams > 500 conductivity %

14 11,000 Decline in [SO4] over 21 years: Partially flooded Pittsburgh Seam Mine pumped from back of mine [SO4] mg/l 10,000 9,000 8,000 7,000 6,000 5,000 4,000 3,000 2,000 1,000 y = 7358e x R² = Years since flooding West Virginia University Water Research Institute 14

15 1. Water quality metrics and interpretation 2. Cumulative WQ effects of mountaintop mining 3. Selenium sources and effects West Virginia University Water Research Institute 15

16 Selenium Loading Mud River Selenium Study Map of the Mud River watershed showing the location of the seventeen sampling stations. Selenium loadings are indicated by the diameter of the green dots Water Research Institute West Virginia University 16

17 Water Research Institute West Virginia University 17

18 Monthly Total Selenium Total Selenium concentration (mg/l) Rt fk. Mud River R fk Res L fk Mud River L Fk Res Res disc Plum Orch Res 10/29/ /25/ /29/2008 1/22/2009 2/12/2009 3/16/2009 4/16/2009 5/18/2009 6/16/2009 West Virginia University Water Research Institute 18

19 Gonadal Se by Site Whole Fish Se by Site Gonadal Se/ dry weight (mg/kg) MUD POL Whole body Se/ dry weight (mg/kg) MUD POL West Virginia University Water Research Institute 19

20 David K. DeForest et al. SETAC 2011 Species Sensitivity Distribution (SSD) Evaluation for Selenium in Fish Eggs: Considerations for Development of a Canadian Tissuebased Guideline Recent article in SETAC identifies an egg/ovary EC10 of 20 mg/kg Data represent 22 studies 20

21 Mud River Selenium Study No evidence of reproductive problems West Virginia University Water Research Institute 21 Larval light trapping found large numbers of larval sunfish and no deformities 2009 Larvae deformities Mud River Res Plum Orchard Lk Larvae deformities Mud River Res Plum Orchard Lk 32 0

22 Mud River Number of Fish >152 Length (mm) Number of Fish Plum Orchard Lake >165 Length (mm) West Virginia University Water Research Institute 22

23 Hobet 21 is the source of elevated selenium in the Mud River range 2 to 17 µg/l Water leaving the Reservoir averaged 2.7 µg/l about one half of the Se was tied up in sediment, one third exited the reservoir and the remainder either volatilized or was sampling error Selenium likely taken out of the water column by algae>sediment>reduction>burial West Virginia University Water Research Institute 23

24 [Se] in sediment was less than the 4 µg/kg threshold cited by Lemley Fish tissue [Se] was about 20 mg/kg in the Mud River Reservoir No fish deformities were observed in either Mud River Reservoir or the reference site: Plum Orchard Lake High sulfate levels may ameliorate selenium effects The bluegill population is healthy and reproducing vigorously in Mud River Reservoir West Virginia University Water Research Institute 24

25 Mine Water and the Environment, in press Paul Ziemkiewicz, PhD Melissa O Neal Ray Lovett, PhD Water Research Institute West Virginia University 25

26 1.4 Selenium occurs in two important oxidized forms: Selenite Selenate Higher ph favors selenate Eh HSeO 4 - (+6) H 2 SeO 3 (+4) HSeO - SeO (+4) (+6) H 2 Se (-2) Se(elem) (0) SeO 3 2- (+4) HSe - (-2) selenate selenite Water Research Institute West Virginia University 26 ph

27 Coal overburden Typical concentrations mg/kg Se/S S/Se Se 1 mg/kg 1 S low 0.5% 5, % 5,000 S high 1.0% 10, % 10,000 crustal concentrations* mg/kg Se/S S/Se Se 50 ppb 0.05 S 420,000 ppb % 8,400 * West Virginia University Water Research Institute 27

28 Org shale Coal Tailings Soluble/Exchange 12% 10% 11% Fe, Mn Oxides 0% 0% 0% Sulfides 10% 10% 11% Organic 18% 5% 11% total extracted 40% 25% 33% Residual 60% 75% 68% Total 100% 100% 100% Water Research Institute West Virginia University 28

29 Sulfur release rates: 0.006% /day-coal iron sulfides to %/day-hydrothermal pyrite %/day This experiment Selenium release rates: 0.06%/day-This experiment Selenium is released about 10 times faster than sulfur Typical [Se] 1-2 mg/kg Typical [S] 1-2 % So, sulfur is about 10,000 times more abundant than selenium Water Research Institute West Virginia University 29

30

31 Average µg Se/L * sampled in 2000 for Mountaintop EIS Berry Stanley 2000* Sugartree 2000* Sugartree 2010 Stanley 2010 Ballard Upton , Berry Average SO4 (mg/l) Sugartree Stanley Ballard Upton (unmined) Years after initial mining Years after initial mining West Virginia University Water Research Institute 31

32 West Virginia University Water Research Institute 32

33 West Virginia University Water Research Institute 33

34 Paul Ziemkiewicz, PhD, Director West Virginia Water Research Institute West Virginia University Water Research Institute West Virginia University 34