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Cooke CA, Holland KM, Emmerton CA, Drevnick PE, Criscitiello AS, Newton B. Mountaintop Removal Coal Mining Contaminates Snowpack across a Broad Region. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 2024; 58:11718-11726. [PMID: 38889109 PMCID: PMC11223467 DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.4c02596] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/13/2024] [Revised: 05/06/2024] [Accepted: 05/08/2024] [Indexed: 06/20/2024]
Abstract
Mountaintop removal coal mining is a source of downstream pollution. Here, we show that mountaintop removal coal mining also pollutes ecosystems downwind. We sampled regional snowpack near the end of winter along a transect of sites located 3-60 km downwind of coal mining in the Elk River valley of British Columbia, Canada. Vast quantities of polycyclic aromatic compounds (PACs), a toxic class of organic contaminants, are emitted and transported atmospherically far from emission sources. Summed PAC (ΣPAC) snowpack concentrations ranged from 29-94,866 ng/L. Snowpack ΣPAC loads, which account for variable snowpack depth, ranged from <10 μg/m2 at sites >50 km southeast of the mines to >1000 μg/m2 at sites in the Elk River valley near mining operations, with one site >15,000 μg/m2. Outside of the Elk River valley, snowpack ΣPAC loads exhibited a clear spatial pattern decreasing away from the mines. The compositional fingerprint of this PAC pollution matches closely with Elk River valley coal. Beyond our study region, modeling results suggest a depositional footprint extending across western Canada and the northwestern United States. These findings carry important implications for receiving ecosystems and for communities located close to mountaintop removal coal mines exposed to air pollution elevated in PACs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Colin A. Cooke
- Environment
and Protected Areas, Government of Alberta, 9888 Jasper Ave, Edmonton, Alberta T5J 5C6, Canada
- Department
of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences, University
of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta T6G 2E3, Canada
| | - Kira M. Holland
- Department
of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences, University
of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta T6G 2E3, Canada
| | - Craig A. Emmerton
- Environment
and Protected Areas, Government of Alberta, 9888 Jasper Ave, Edmonton, Alberta T5J 5C6, Canada
- Department
of Biological Sciences, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta T6G 2E9, Canada
| | - Paul E. Drevnick
- Environment
and Protected Areas, Government of Alberta, 3535 Research Road NW, Calgary, Alberta T2L 2K8, Canada
- Department
of Biological Sciences, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta T2N 1N4, Canada
| | - Alison S. Criscitiello
- Department
of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences, University
of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta T6G 2E3, Canada
| | - Brandi Newton
- Environment
and Protected Areas, Government of Alberta, 3535 Research Road NW, Calgary, Alberta T2L 2K8, Canada
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Cooke CA, Emmerton CA, Drevnick PE. Legacy coal mining impacts downstream ecosystems for decades in the Canadian Rockies. ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION (BARKING, ESSEX : 1987) 2024; 344:123328. [PMID: 38195024 DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2024.123328] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/13/2023] [Revised: 01/02/2024] [Accepted: 01/06/2024] [Indexed: 01/11/2024]
Abstract
Mountaintop removal coal mining leaves a legacy of disturbed landscapes and abandoned infrastructure with clear impacts on water resources; however, the intensity and persistence of this water pollution remains poorly characterized. Here we examined the downstream impacts of over a century of coal mining in the Crowsnest Pass (Alberta, Canada). Water samples were collected downstream of two historical coal mines: Tent Mountain and Grassy Mountain. Tent Mountain hosts a partially reclaimed surface mine that closed in 1983. Selenium concentrations downstream of Tent Mountain reached 185 μg/L in a lake below the mine spoil pile, and up to 23 μg/L in Crowsnest Creek, which drains the lake and the mine property. Further downstream, a well-dated sediment core from Crowsnest Lake records increases in sediment, selenium, lead, carbon, nitrogen, and polycyclic aromatic compounds that closely tracked the history of mining at Tent Mountain. In contrast, episodic discharge of mine water from abandoned underground adits at Grassy Mountain drive periodic (but short-term) increases in iron, various metals, and suspended sediment. These results underscore the lasting downstream impacts of abandoned and even reclaimed coal mines.
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Affiliation(s)
- Colin A Cooke
- Environment and Protected Areas, Government of Alberta, 1-26 Earth Sciences Building, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, T6G 2E3, Canada; Earth and Atmospheric Sciences, University of Alberta, 1-26 Earth Sciences Building, Edmonton, Alberta, T6G 2E3, Canada.
| | - Craig A Emmerton
- Environment and Protected Areas, Government of Alberta, 1-26 Earth Sciences Building, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, T6G 2E3, Canada; Biological Sciences, University of Alberta, CW 405 Biological Sciences Building, Edmonton, Alberta, T6G 2E9, Canada
| | - Paul E Drevnick
- Environment and Protected Areas, Government of Alberta, University Research Centre, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, T2L 2K8, Canada; Biological Sciences, University of Calgary, 2500 University Drive NW, Calgary, Alberta, T2N 1N4, Canada
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Storb MB, Bussell AM, Caldwell Eldridge SL, Hirsch RM, Schmidt TS. Growth of Coal Mining Operations in the Elk River Valley (Canada) Linked to Increasing Solute Transport of Se, NO 3-, and SO 42- into the Transboundary Koocanusa Reservoir (USA-Canada). ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 2023; 57:17465-17480. [PMID: 37922122 PMCID: PMC10653222 DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.3c05090] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/05/2023] [Revised: 10/11/2023] [Accepted: 10/13/2023] [Indexed: 11/05/2023]
Abstract
Koocanusa Reservoir (KOC) is a waterbody that spans the United States (U.S.) and Canadian border. Increasing concentrations of total selenium (Se), nitrate + nitrite (NO3-, nitrite is insignificant or not present), and sulfate (SO42-) in KOC and downstream in the Kootenai River (Kootenay River in Canada) are tied to expanding coal mining operations in the Elk River Watershed, Canada. Using a paired watershed approach, trends in flow-normalized concentrations and loads were evaluated for Se, NO3-, and SO42- for the two largest tributaries, the Kootenay and Elk Rivers, Canada. Increases in concentration (SO42- 120%, Se 581%, NO3- 784%) and load (SO42- 129%, Se 443%, NO3- 697%) in the Elk River (1979-2022 for NO3-, 1984-2022 for Se and SO42-) are among the largest documented increases in the primary literature, while only a small magnitude increase in SO42- (7.7% concentration) and decreases in Se (-10%) and NO3- (-8.5%) were observed in the Kootenay River. Between 2009 and 2019, the Elk River contributed, on average, 29% of the combined flow, 95% of the Se, 76% of the NO3-, and 38% of the SO42- entering the reservoir from these two major tributaries. The largest increase in solute concentrations occurred during baseflows, indicating a change in solute transport and delivery dynamics in the Elk River Watershed, which may be attributable to altered landscapes from coal mining operations including altered groundwater flow paths and increased chemical weathering in waste rock dumps. More recently there is evidence of surface water treatment operations providing some reduction in concentrations during low flow times of year; however, these appear to have a limited effect on annual loads entering KOC. These findings imply that current mine water treatment, which is focused on surface waters, may not sufficiently reduce the influence of mine-waste-derived solutes in the Elk River to allow constituent concentrations in KOC to meet U.S. water-quality standards.
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Affiliation(s)
- Meryl B. Storb
- U.S.
Geological Survey WY-MT Water Science Center, 3162 Bozeman Avenue, Helena, Montana 59601, United States
- Department
of Land Resources and Environmental Sciences, Montana State University, Bozeman, Montana 59717, United States
| | - Ashley M. Bussell
- U.S.
Geological Survey WY-MT Water Science Center, 3162 Bozeman Avenue, Helena, Montana 59601, United States
| | - Sara L. Caldwell Eldridge
- U.S.
Geological Survey WY-MT Water Science Center, 3162 Bozeman Avenue, Helena, Montana 59601, United States
| | - Robert M. Hirsch
- U.S.
Geological Survey Water Mission Area, 12201 Sunrise Valley Drive, Reston, Virginia 20192, United States
| | - Travis S. Schmidt
- U.S.
Geological Survey WY-MT Water Science Center, 3162 Bozeman Avenue, Helena, Montana 59601, United States
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Chernos M, MacDonald RJ, Straker J, Green K, Craig JR. Simulating the cumulative effects of potential open-pit mining and climate change on streamflow and water quality in a mountainous watershed. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2022; 806:150394. [PMID: 34571236 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2021.150394] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/20/2021] [Revised: 09/09/2021] [Accepted: 09/13/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Land use and climate change effects on water quality and water quantity are well documented globally. Most studies evaluate individual factors and effects, without considering the interrelationships between land use, climate, water quality, and water quantity. This study provides an integrated assessment of the cumulative effects of climate change and potential open-pit coal mining on streamflow and water quality in the Oldman River Basin, Alberta, Canada. A hydrological model was developed that incorporates estimates of future selenium loading, water use, and projected changes in air temperature and precipitation to evaluate changes in water quantity and quality. Model results indicate that estimated selenium concentrations, absent any attenuation, are likely to be substantially above most water quality guidelines and strong reliance on mitigation technologies would be required to maintain adequate water quality in the watershed if mine development were to take place. Streamflow is sensitive to changes in climatic conditions, and modelling results suggest there are likely to be increases in winter flow, earlier peak flow, and reductions in flow during the summer and fall months under the climate change scenarios. These changes can have direct impacts on the degree of selenium dilution and more generally on aquatic habitat, ecosystem health, and socioeconomic needs. This study highlights that water management decisions may mis-evaluate the risks and tradeoffs of future mine development if they fail to adequately consider climate change and changing streamflow regimes and their indirect effects on water quality.
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Affiliation(s)
- M Chernos
- MacDonald Hydrology Consultants Ltd., Cranbrook, British Columbia, Canada.
| | - R J MacDonald
- MacDonald Hydrology Consultants Ltd., Cranbrook, British Columbia, Canada
| | - J Straker
- Integral Ecology Group, Duncan, British Columbia, Canada
| | - K Green
- Apex Geoscience Consultants Ltd., Nelson, British Columbia, Canada
| | - J R Craig
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, Canada
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Welch C, Barbour SL, Hendry MJ. The geochemistry and hydrology of coal waste rock dumps: A systematic global review. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2021; 795:148798. [PMID: 34247080 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2021.148798] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/13/2021] [Revised: 06/08/2021] [Accepted: 06/28/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Coal has been a major global resource for at least the past 250 years. The major waste product of coal mining is waste rock, which is stored in dumps of various sizes. Although the adverse effects of coal waste rock dumps on ecosystems and human health are widely recognised, there is little information on their internal hydrological and geochemical processes in the peer-reviewed literature. Coal and conventional waste rock dumps share many similarities, but coal waste rock dumps differ in structure, organic matter content, and size, which can affect the timing and rate of aqueous chemical release. In this global systematic review, we identify limited links to climate setting and dump construction, and inconsistent reporting of sampling and monitoring approaches, as limitations to the generalisation of findings. Furthermore, sources of aqueous constituents of interest (COIs) are not routinely or adequately identified, which can lead to incorrect assumptions regarding COI availability and geochemical mobility. Water flow regimes within dumps are dominated by matrix and/or preferential flow, depending on dump texture; these flow mechanisms exert a primary control on patterns of aqueous COI release. The inability to successfully transfer COI release rates from laboratory or field scale trials to operational scale dumps is primarily due to limitations of testing methods and fundamental characteristics of scale. Prediction of future release rates is hampered by a lack of long-term studies that fully characterise geochemistry (e.g., source and COI production rates) as well as dump hydrology (e.g., water balance, water migration). Five critical elements to include in best practice investigations are climate setting, dump physical characteristics, geochemical processes, water regime, and environmental load over time, as aqueous release of COIs from coal waste rock dumps occurs over decades to centuries. Key considerations are identified for each of these elements to guide best practice.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chani Welch
- Department of Geological Sciences, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada.
| | - S Lee Barbour
- Department of Civil, Environmental and Geological Engineering, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada.
| | - M Jim Hendry
- Department of Geological Sciences, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada.
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McManus MG, D'Amico E, Smith EM, Polinsky R, Ackerman J, Tyler K. Variation in stream network relationships and geospatial predictions of watershed conductivity. FRESHWATER SCIENCE (PRINT) 2020; 39:1-18. [PMID: 33747635 PMCID: PMC7970528 DOI: 10.1086/710340] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Secondary salinization, the increase of anthropogenically-derived salts in freshwaters, threatens freshwater biota and ecosystems, drinking water supplies, and infrastructure. The various anthropogenic sources of salts and their locations in a watershed may result in secondary salinization of river and stream networks through multiple inputs. We developed a watershed predictive assessment to investigate the degree to which topology, land-cover, and land-use covariates affect stream specific conductivity (SC), a measure of salinity. We used spatial stream network models to predict SC throughout an Appalachian stream network in a watershed affected by surface coal mining. During high-discharge conditions, 8 to 44% of stream km in the watershed exceeded the SC benchmark of 300 μS/cm, which is meant to be protective of aquatic life in the Central Appalachian ecoregion. During low-discharge conditions, 96 to 100% of stream km exceeded the benchmark. The 2 different discharge conditions altered the spatial dependency of SC among the stream monitoring sites. During most low discharges, SC was a function of upstream-to-downstream network distances, or flow-connected distances, among the sites. Flow-connected distances are indicative of upstream dependencies affecting stream SC. During high discharge, SC was related to both flow-connected distances and flow-unconnected distances (i.e., distances between sites on different branches of the network). Flow-unconnected distances are indicative of processes on adjacent branches and their catchments affecting stream SC. With sites distributed from headwaters to the watershed outlet, the extent of impacts from secondary salinization could be better spatially predicted and assessed with spatial stream network models than with models assuming spatial independence. Importantly, the assessment also recognized the multi-scale spatial relationships that can occur between the landscape and stream network.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael G McManus
- Center for Environmental Measurement and Modeling, Office of Research and Development, United States Environmental Protection Agency, 26 West Martin Luther King Drive, Cincinnati, Ohio 45268 USA
| | - Ellen D'Amico
- Pegasus Technical Services c/o United States Environmental Protection Agency, 26 West Martin Luther King Drive, Cincinnati, Ohio 45268 USA
| | - Elizabeth M Smith
- Water Division, United States Environmental Protection Agency, Region IV, 61 Forsyth Street Southwest, Atlanta, Georgia 30303 USA
| | - Robyn Polinsky
- Water Division, United States Environmental Protection Agency, Region IV, 61 Forsyth Street Southwest, Atlanta, Georgia 30303 USA
| | - Jerry Ackerman
- Laboratory Services and Applied Science Division, United States Environmental Protection Agency, Region IV, 980 College Station Road, Athens, Georgia 30605 USA
| | - Kip Tyler
- Water Division, United States Environmental Protection Agency, Region IV, 61 Forsyth Street Southwest, Atlanta, Georgia 30303 USA
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Naslund LC, Gerson JR, Brooks AC, Walters DM, Bernhardt ES. Contaminant Subsidies to Riparian Food Webs in Appalachian Streams Impacted by Mountaintop Removal Coal Mining. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 2020; 54:3951-3959. [PMID: 32189492 DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.9b05907] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
Selenium is highly elevated in Appalachian streams and stream organisms that receive alkaline mine drainage from mountaintop removal coal mining compared to unimpacted streams in the region. Adult aquatic insects can be important vectors of waterborne contaminants to riparian food webs, yet pathways of Se transport and exposure of riparian organisms are poorly characterized. We investigated Se concentrations in stream and riparian organisms to determine whether mining extent increased Se uptake in stream biofilms and insects and if these insects were effective Se biovectors to riparian spiders. Biofilm Se concentration increased (p = 0.006) with mining extent, reaching a maximum value of 16.5 μg/g of dw. Insect and spider Se increased with biofilm Se (p = 0.004, p = 0.003), reaching 95 and 26 μg/g of dw, respectively, in mining-impacted streams. Adult insect biomass was not related to mining extent or Se concentrations in biofilm. Even though Se concentrations in aquatic insects were significantly and positively related to mining extent, aquatic insect Se flux was not associated with mining extent because the mass of emerging insects did not change appreciably over the mining gradient. Insect and spider Se concentrations were among the highest reported in the literature, regularly exceeding the bird Se dietary risk threshold of 5 μg/g of dw. Risks of Se exposure and toxicity related to mining are thus not constrained to aquatic systems but extend to terrestrial habitats and food webs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laura C Naslund
- Department of Biology, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina 27708, United States
| | - Jacqueline R Gerson
- Department of Biology, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina 27708, United States
| | - Alexander C Brooks
- Department of Geoscience, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, Colorado 80521, United States
| | - David M Walters
- U.S. Geological Survey, Columbia Environmental Research Center, Columbia, Missouri 65201, United States
| | - Emily S Bernhardt
- Department of Biology, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina 27708, United States
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Hendrick LR, McGarvey DJ. Climate Change and Mountaintop-Removal Mining: A MaxEnt Assessment of the Potential Threat to West Virginian Fishes. Northeast Nat (Steuben) 2019. [DOI: 10.1656/045.026.0304] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Lindsey R.F. Hendrick
- Center for Environmental Studies, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA 23284
| | - Daniel J. McGarvey
- Center for Environmental Studies, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA 23284
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Johnson B, Smith E, Ackerman JW, Dye S, Polinsky R, Somerville E, Decker C, Little D, Pond G, D'Amico E. Spatial Convergence in Major Dissolved Ion Concentrations and Implications of Headwater Mining for Downstream Water Quality. JOURNAL OF THE AMERICAN WATER RESOURCES ASSOCIATION 2019; 55:247-258. [PMID: 33354106 PMCID: PMC7751627] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Spatial patterns in major dissolved solute concentrations were examined to better understand impact of surface coal mining in headwaters on downstream water chemistry. Sixty sites were sampled seasonally from 2012 to 2014 in an eastern Kentucky watershed. Watershed areas (WA) ranged from 1.6 to 400.5 km2 and were mostly forested (58%-95%), but some drained as much as 31% surface mining. Measures of total dissolved solutes and most component ions were positively correlated with mining. Analytes showed strong convergent spatial patterns with high variability in headwaters (<15 km2 WA) that stabilized downstream (WA > 75 km2), indicating hydrologic mixing primarily controls downstream values. Mean headwater solute concentrations were a good predictor of downstream values, with % differences ranging from 0.55% (Na+) to 28.78% (Mg2+). In a mined scenario where all headwaters had impacts, downstream solute concentrations roughly doubled. Alternatively, if mining impacts to headwaters were minimized, downstream solute concentrations better approximated the 300 μS/cm conductivity criterion deemed protective of aquatic life. Temporal variability also had convergent spatial patterns and mined streams were less variable due to unnaturally stable hydrology. The highly conserved nature of dissolved solutes from mining activities and lack of viable treatment options suggest forested, unmined watersheds would provide dilution that would be protective of downstream aquatic life.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brent Johnson
- United States Environmental Protection Agency, Office of Research and Development, National Exposure Research Laboratory, Cincinnati, OH, USA
| | - Elizabeth Smith
- United States Environmental Protection Agency, Region 4, Water Protection Division, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Jerry W Ackerman
- United States Environmental Protection Agency, Region 4, Science and Ecosystem Support Division, Athens, GA, USA
| | - Sue Dye
- United States Environmental Protection Agency, Region 4, Science and Ecosystem Support Division, Athens, GA, USA
| | - Robyn Polinsky
- United States Environmental Protection Agency, Region 4, Water Protection Division, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Eric Somerville
- United States Environmental Protection Agency, Region 4, Water Protection Division, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Chris Decker
- United States Environmental Protection Agency, Region 4, Water Protection Division, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Derek Little
- United States Environmental Protection Agency, Region 4, Science and Ecosystem Support Division, Athens, GA, USA
| | - Gregory Pond
- United States Environmental Protection Agency, EPA Gulf of Mexico Program, Gulfport MS, USA
| | - Ellen D'Amico
- GIS Support specialist, Pegasus Technical Services Inc., Cincinnati, OH, USA
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Price SJ, Freytag SB, Bonner SJ, Drayer AN, Muncy BL, Hutton JM, Barton CD. Mountaintop removal mining alters stream salamander population dynamics. DIVERS DISTRIB 2018. [DOI: 10.1111/ddi.12760] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/01/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Steven J. Price
- Department of Forestry and Natural Resources; University of Kentucky; Lexington KY USA
| | - Sara Beth Freytag
- Department of Forestry and Natural Resources; University of Kentucky; Lexington KY USA
| | - Simon J. Bonner
- Department of Statistical and Actuarial Sciences; University of Western Ontario; London ON Canada
- Department of Biology; University of Western Ontario; London ON Canada
| | - Andrea N. Drayer
- Department of Forestry and Natural Resources; University of Kentucky; Lexington KY USA
| | - Brenee' L. Muncy
- Department of Forestry and Natural Resources; University of Kentucky; Lexington KY USA
| | - Jacob M. Hutton
- Department of Forestry and Natural Resources; University of Kentucky; Lexington KY USA
| | - Christopher D. Barton
- Department of Forestry and Natural Resources; University of Kentucky; Lexington KY USA
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Timpano AJ, Zipper CE, Soucek DJ, Schoenholtz SH. Seasonal pattern of anthropogenic salinization in temperate forested headwater streams. WATER RESEARCH 2018; 133:8-18. [PMID: 29353698 DOI: 10.1016/j.watres.2018.01.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/13/2017] [Revised: 12/29/2017] [Accepted: 01/04/2018] [Indexed: 05/04/2023]
Abstract
Salinization of freshwaters by human activities is of growing concern globally. Consequences of salt pollution include adverse effects to aquatic biodiversity, ecosystem function, human health, and ecosystem services. In headwater streams of the temperate forests of eastern USA, elevated specific conductance (SC), a surrogate measurement for the major dissolved ions composing salinity, has been linked to decreased diversity of aquatic insects. However, such linkages have typically been based on limited numbers of SC measurements that do not quantify intra-annual variation. Effective management of salinization requires tools to accurately monitor and predict salinity while accounting for temporal variability. Toward that end, high-frequency SC data were collected within the central Appalachian coalfield over 4 years at 25 forested headwater streams spanning a gradient of salinity. A sinusoidal periodic function was used to model the annual cycle of SC, averaged across years and streams. The resultant model revealed that, on average, salinity deviated approximately ±20% from annual mean levels across all years and streams, with minimum SC occurring in late winter and peak SC occurring in late summer. The pattern was evident in headwater streams influenced by surface coal mining, unmined headwater reference streams with low salinity, and larger-order salinized rivers draining the study area. The pattern was strongly responsive to varying seasonal dilution as driven by catchment evapotranspiration, an effect that was amplified slightly in unmined catchments with greater relative forest cover. Evaluation of alternative sampling intervals indicated that discrete sampling can approximate the model performance afforded by high-frequency data but model error increases rapidly as discrete sampling intervals exceed 30 days. This study demonstrates that intra-annual variation of salinity in temperate forested headwater streams of Appalachia USA follows a natural seasonal pattern, driven by interactive influences on water quantity and quality of climate, geology, and terrestrial vegetation. Because climatic and vegetation dynamics vary annually in a seasonal, cyclic manner, a periodic function can be used to fit a sinusoidal model to the salinity pattern. The model framework used here is broadly applicable in systems with streamflow-dependent chronic salinity stress.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anthony J Timpano
- Virginia Water Resources Research Center, Virginia Tech, 310 West Campus Dr, RM 210, Blacksburg, VA 24061, USA.
| | - Carl E Zipper
- Crop and Soil Environmental Sciences, Virginia Tech, 185 Ag Quad Ln, RM 416, Blacksburg VA 24061, USA
| | - David J Soucek
- Illinois Natural History Survey, 1816 S. Oak St, Champaign IL 61820, USA
| | - Stephen H Schoenholtz
- Virginia Water Resources Research Center, Virginia Tech, 310 West Campus Dr, RM 210, Blacksburg, VA 24061, USA
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12
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A Review of Fine-Scale Land Use and Land Cover Classification in Open-Pit Mining Areas by Remote Sensing Techniques. REMOTE SENSING 2017. [DOI: 10.3390/rs10010015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 46] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
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