English

Abstract

Argus Energy (formerly Pen Coal Corporation) has been conducting spring and fall seasonal monitoring of water chemistry and benthic macroinvertebrates since 1995 on the Trough Fork watershed to determine the longterm downstream impacts of mining operations. Conductivity, TDS, and sulfates have remained relatively low at the upstream site since 1995 with the exception of October data since 2000. Although there was a noticeable increase in these parameters at the downstream site during active mining from October 1997, April levels have appeared to stabilize at levels about 3 times pre-mining levels. October levels have continued to Aspike@ since 2000 at both the upstream and downstream sites. Total individuals collected have been lower at the downstream site since October 2000, whereas prior to October 2000, total individuals had been higher at the downstream for 8 of the previous 10 sampling events. Although sporadic prior to October 1999, total taxa, EPT taxa, and percent mayflies has remained lower at the downstream site since April 2000. Pre-mining and early active mining upstream and downstream communities consisted of relatively equal proportions of sensitive, facultative, and tolerant individuals. Extremely large proportions of tolerant individuals were noted during the droughts of October 1998 and April 1999 at both sites. Since October 2002, the downstream site has become more facultative, and less sensitive. WV-SCI scores have ranged from pre-mining scores of 73 and 79, to lows of 47 and 41 during the drought years, to highs of 91 and 89 for the upstream and downstream sites, respectively. Usually, the downstream site has scored less than the upstream site in 10 out of 16 sampling seasons. Regression data does not show any trends correlating WV-SCI score to conductivity, TDS, sulfates, or aluminum at either the upstream or downstream sites utilizing data over 6 2 years. Some correlation between these parameters and mayfly abundance appear to exist. ______________________ 1 Paper was presented at the 2004 National Meeting of the American Society of Mining and Reclamation and The 25 th West Virginia Surface Mine Drainage Task Force, April 18-24, 2004. Published by ASMR, 3134 Montavista Rd., Lexington, KY 40502. 2 Ed J. Kirk, Director Biological Division, REI Consultants, Inc., Beaver WV 25813. Randall Maggard, Manager of Environmental Compliance, Argus Energy-WV, LLC., Dunlow WV 25511. Proceedings America Society of Mining and Reclamation, 2004 pp 1095-1127 DOI: 10.21000/JASMR04011095 Proceedings America Society of Mining and Reclamation, 2004