Water quality changes over time in Upper Freeport and Pittsburgh coal mines in West Virginia (original) (raw)
The objective of this research was to determine the changes in acidity, sulfate, iron, aluminum, and calcium concentrations over time in above-drainage, underground mines. Water analyses were compiled from four sampling dates for two coal seams. Results for all sites showed declines in all parameters. Acidity decreases from the 40 sites were compared to three acidity decay curves. The data most closely matched the 5 percent decay curve. Acidity values from a different mine most closely matched the 10 percent decay curve during its first 12 years after closure. None of the five parameters showed significant relationships with either decade of mine closure or coal seam. Five sites were more intensively sampled during March, May, and July 2007 to determine how flow and acidity changed over differing time periods. Flows were found to vary significantly between months. However, flow differences were not significant within the same month. Acidity followed a similar trend. iii ACKNOWLEDGMENTS I would like to thank my professors and colleagues that helped me along my research path. My adviser, Jeff Skousen, was an invaluable source of information and support during the research and writing processes. His door was always open whenever I had a question. Louis McDonald and Dorothy Vesper provided very helpful information about the chemistry/geochemistry of AMD, as well as help with data presentation and analysis. I would also like to thank Desta Fekedulegn for his help with the statistical part of the data analysis. His explanations of the statistical analyses performed were easy to understand and made the task of writing the discussion of the data much easier. Ken Stewart of the NRCCE Lab and Joan Wright of the Division of Plant and Soil Sciences aided in the analysis of water samples. Lastly, I would like to thank my family. Their encouragement and love has supported me through the entire process of graduate school. The completion of this degree would not have been possible without them. iv
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