Comparison of Water Quality Upstream and Downstream of Coal Refuse in Southwest Virginia’s Clinch River Basin

"Water was sampled upstream and downstream of coal refuse areas at Big Stony Creek, Cove Creek, and Shupe Creek in Scott Co., Virginia to determine if coal waste acid mine drainage (AMD) had an impact on water quality before, during, and after a reclamation project removed the refuse material and relocated it to a disposal site. Samples were tested for Cl- and SO42- using ion chromatography (IC), and Al, As, Cd, Cr, Cu, Fe, Mg, Mn, Na, Ni, Pb, Se, and Zn using inductively coupled plasma-atomic emission spectroscopy (ICP-AES). In general, Big Stony Creek and Shupe Creek did not have concentrations of AMD related contaminants above acceptance criteria and there was not a significant difference between analyte concentrations upstream and downstream of coal refuse areas. Cove Creek generally did not have analyte concentrations above acceptance criteria, but there was a significant increase in Mg, Na, and SO42- at the site downstream of coal refuse relative to the upstream. Overall, AMD was not a water quality problem at these sites, which may be attributable to the age and properties of the coal refuse, presence of acid-neutralizing minerals, and/or established vegetation. Ongoing analysis will provide a water quality record post-reclamation and the effects of coal refuse removal on water quality can be determined."