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Anne Severson
ENVS 250
Dr. Voss
23 October 2015
Temporal Variation of Stream Water Quality in Areas of Mining Drainage
The effects of mining drainage into freshwater systems have been studied all over the
world. Studies show that streams in mined areas are characterized by an increase in conductivity,
dissolved solute content, and an atypical abundance of heavy metals. These water quality
changes impact areas much further downstream than originally estimated and affect the
biodiversity of freshwater taxa located in these drainage areas (Bernhart et al., 2012; Lindberg et
al., 2011; Sarmiento, Nieto, Olas & Cnovas, 2009; Environmental Protection Agency, 2011).
Jaeger (2015) notes that mining affects not only the water quality in these regions, but stream
morphology as well. Mountaintop mining channels are seen to have increased water transfer
which may result in flooding over short time spans and alteration in landscape evolutionary
processes in the long-term (Jaeger, 2015).
There is evidence that the severity of degradation in water quality may fluctuate
throughout the year. Several studies by Sarmiento et al. (2009), Olas et al. (2004), and Cnovas
et al. (2008) on river systems in Spain all reported precipitation and flooding events to have a
significant influence on the dilution and flow of acid mine drainage through freshwater rivers
and streams. When the water level in the streams decreased, the solubility decreased as well
(meaning they could hold less dissolved solutes). Dry seasons facilitated the precipitation of
heavy metals, like iron, from the freshwater, which lowered conductivity and metal
concentrations. As rainfall increased in the autumn months, the precipitated solutes were
redissolved and concentrations increased again. Heavy rains in the winter increased river flow,
effectively diluting solute concentrations in the river and flushing them out (Sarmiento et al.,
2009; Olas et al., 2004; Cnovas et al., 2008). See Figure 1 for a visual representation of
temporal water quality fluctuation.
We are interested in studying if and how fluctuations in precipitation and water flow have
similar influences in the Central Appalachian region. We hypothesize that the months with the
most precipitation will facilitate lower conductivity and heavy metal concentrations in freshwater
streams than months with lower precipitation. These months are likely to occur during the winter
when average precipitation of rain and snow increases, and deciduous trees are dormant, thus
increasing freshwater source flow.

Methods

This study will take place in two parts, one experimental in which we will collect water
quality data for 15 streams over the course of two years, and one observational where we will
compare our results to the results of 40 other previously conducted studies for the same region.
Experimental
Our study area will consist of 15 randomly selected streams and rivers in the Central
Appalachian region. Each freshwater source will have a similar percentage of its catchment
mined in an effort to avoid variation in tested conductivity and dissolved metal concentrations
due to differences in mining influence. The sampling period for this study is 24 months, with
water quality samples and testing occurring once a month for each of the 15 rivers. Every month,
water samples will be collected at four random points along each of the 15 rivers (totalling 60
samples per month). A total of 1,440 water samples will be taken and tested at the end of the 24
month period. This process allows for replication of individual river data (4 samples per river),
replication in study area river data (15 rivers), and temporal replication (2 years of data). Budget
constraints prevent additional replication (see Table 2).
We will collect 50 mL water samples to be sent to a lab for ICP/MS testing to determine
the concentration in parts-per-billion (ppb) of dissolved heavy metals in each sample.
Conductivity for every sampling location will also be tested and recorded using a conductivity
meter placed directly into the river or stream. In addition to water sampling, mean monthly
precipitation of snow or rain for the study region will be recorded for every month during the
study in order to determine which months received the most precipitation (see Table 1).
After all samples have been collected, mean conductivity and dissolved metal
concentrations will be calculated for each of the 15 test rivers for all 24 months. We will then
calculate the total mean conductivity and dissolved metal concentrations for each of the 12
months of the year by averaging the 2 years of data. These results should allow us to determine
whether our study area experiences temporal fluctuations in water quality.
Observational
We will compare the results of our study to the results of 40 other previously conducted
studies recording conductivity and dissolved metal concentrations for the same region. Studies
will be chosen that researched streams and rivers with similar percentage of catchment mined to
the rivers in our study. Studies will be separated by month of data collection if samples were only
taken taken over a short time frame. If studies were collected over several months or years, like
our study, results of monthly samples and reported water quality will be compiled. Mean total
conductivity levels and dissolved metal concentrations of all studies will be recorded for each of
the 12 months. We aim to review enough previously conducted studies to collect similar amounts
of data for each of the 12 months. If the estimated number of 40 studies does meet these
requirements, additional studies may be reviewed.
We will compare the total mean conductivity levels and dissolved metal concentrations
for each of the 12 months from our study to the total means compiled after reviewing these 40
studies. We will use a line graph to compare these results (see Figure 2). We hope that our results
will show similar temporal fluctuations as the results of the previous studies. If results are

significantly different, or if significant temporal fluctuations are not seen, then results would
indicate the existence of other factors that influence the conductivity levels and concentration of
dissolved metals in these freshwater sources.

References
Bernhardt, E. S., Lutz, B. D., King, R. S., Fay, J. P., Carter, C. E., Helton, A. M., Amos,
J. (2012). How Many Mountains Can We Mine? Assessing the Regional Degradation of
Central Appalachian Rivers by Surface Coal Mining. Environmental Science & Technology,
46(15), 811522. http://doi.org/10.1021/es301144q

Cnovas, C. R., Hubbard, C. G., Olas, M., Nieto, J. M., Black, S., & Coleman, M. L.
(2008). Hydrochemical variations and contaminant load in the Ro Tinto (Spain) during
flood events. Journal of Hydrology, 350(1-2), 2540.
http://doi.org/10.1016/j.jhydrol.2007.11.022
Jaeger, K. L. (2015). Reach-scale geomorphic differences between headwater streams
draining mountaintop mined and unmined catchments. Geomorphology, 236, 2533.
http://doi.org/10.1016/j.geomorph.2015.02.007
Lindberg, T. T., Bernhardt, E. S., Bier, R., Helton, A. M., Merola, R. B., Vengosh, A., & Di
Giulio, R. T. (2011). Cumulative impacts of mountaintop mining on an Appalachian
watershed. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 108(52), 2092920934.
http://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.1112381108
Olas, M., Nieto, J. M., Sarmiento, a. M., Cern, J. C., & Cnovas, C. R. (2004). Seasonal
water quality variations in a river affected by acid mine drainage: The Odiel River (South
West Spain). Science of the Total Environment, 333(1-3), 267281.
http://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2004.05.012
Sarmiento, A. M., Nieto, J. M., Olas, M., & Cnovas, C. R. (2009). Hydrochemical
characteristics and seasonal influence on the pollution by acid mine drainage in the Odiel
river Basin (SW Spain). Applied Geochemistry, 24(4), 697714.
http://doi.org/10.1016/j.apgeochem.2008.12.025
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). (2011). The Effects of Mountaintop Mines
and Valley Fills on Aquatic Ecosystems of the Central Appalachian Coalfields.
Environmental Protection Agency. Washington.