Skip to main content
Log in

Influence of wetlands and coal mining on stream water chemistry

  • Published:
Water, Air, and Soil Pollution Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Comparisons of stream water chemistry over a 2 yr period in East Fork, which drains an entirely forested watershed, and Big Run, which drains a forested watershed 8 % of which is occupied by Big Run Bog, indicated that Big Run Bog had no effect on stream water H+ or Cl concentrations, but with increasing stream discharge the wetland was a source of Ca++ Mg++, K+, Na+, NO3 , and SO4 , and a sink for Fe+ +. Further comparisons with Tub Run, which drains a forested watershed, 13 and 12% of which is occupied by Tub Run Bog and an abandoned, unreclaimed coal surface mine, respectively, suggested that Tub Run Bog removes H+, Ca ++, Mg++, Fe++, and 504 from inputs of acid mine drainage. Wetland areas on the landscape contribute to the regulation of stream water chemistry in ways that are different from upland areas, and wetlands may have considerable applied potential for minimizing the impact of the mine drainage on stream water quality.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Allard, H. A. and Leonard, E. C.: 1952,Castanea 17, 1.

    Google Scholar 

  • Barton, P.: 1978, ‘The Acid Mine Drainage’, in J. O. Nriagu (ed.),Sulfur in the Environment, Part II: Ecological Effects, John Wiley & Sons, New York, p. 313.

    Google Scholar 

  • Bell, P. R.: 1959,J. Ecol. 47, 351.

    Google Scholar 

  • Boyer, D. G.: 1976, ‘The Climatological Water Balance in a Mountainous Terrain’, M.S. Thesis, West Virginia University, Morgantown.

    Google Scholar 

  • Braekke, F. H.: 1981,Rep. Norwegian For. Res. Inst. 36, 1.

    Google Scholar 

  • Carter, V., Bedinger, M. S., Novitzki, R. P., and Wilen, W. D.: 1979, ‘Water Resources and Wetlands’, in P. E. Greeson, J. R. Clark, and J. E. Clark (eds.),Wetland Functions and Values: the State of our Understanding, American Water Resources Association, Minneapolis, Minn. p. 344.

    Google Scholar 

  • Christophersen, N. and Wright, R. F.: 1981,Water Resources Res. 17, 377.

    Google Scholar 

  • Clymo, R. S.: 1963,Ann. Bot. 27, 309.

    Google Scholar 

  • Collier, C. R., Pickering, R. J., and Musser, J. J.: 1970,Influences of Strip Mining on the Hydrologic Environment of Parts of Beaver Creek Basin, Kentucky, 1955-66. U.S. Geol. Surv. Prof. Pap. 427-C.

  • Conover, W. J.: 1980,Practical Nonparametric Statistics, John Wiley & Sons, New York.

    Google Scholar 

  • Crisp, D. T.: 1966,J. Appl. Ecol. 3, 327.

    Google Scholar 

  • Cronan, C. S.: 1979,Anal. Chem. 51, 1333.

    Google Scholar 

  • Diehl, J.: 1981, ‘Geologic Factors Affecting the Formation and Presence of Wetlands in the North Central Section of the Allegheny Plateau Section of West Virginia’, M.S. Thesis, West Virginia University, Morgantown.

    Google Scholar 

  • Dyer, K. L.: 1982,Stream Water Quality in the Coal Region of West Virginia and Maryland, U.S. Dept. Agriculture, U.S. Forest Service, Northwest Forest Experiment Station, General Technical Report NE-70.

  • Evans, R. S. and Rauch, H. W.: 1983,Hydrogeology ofAppalachian Wetlands in Preston County, West Virginia, Dept. Geol. and Geog., West Virginia University, Morgantown.

    Google Scholar 

  • Fedorko, N.: 1982, WV Geological and Economic Survey, Coal Resources Section, personal communication.

  • Feller, M. C., and Kimmins, J. P.: 1979,Water Resources Res. 15, 247.

    Google Scholar 

  • Heliotis, F. D.: 1982,Wetland Systems for Wastewater Treatment: Operating Mechanisms and Implications for Design, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Institute for Environmental Studies, IES Rep. 117.

  • Henderson, G. S., Huff, D. D., and Grizzard, T.: 1977, ‘Hydrologic Characteristics of Walker Branch Watershed’, in D. L. Correll (ed.),Watershed Research in Eastern North America: A Workshop to Compare Results, Chesapeake Bay Center for Environmental Studies, Smithsonian Institution, Edgewater, Maryland, p. 195.

    Google Scholar 

  • Johnson, D. W. and Cole, D. W.: 1977,Anion Mobility in Soils: Relevance to Nutrient Transfer from Terrestrial to Aquatic Systems, U.S. Rep. EPA-600/3-77-068.

  • Johnson, D. W. and Henderson, G. S.: 1979,Soil Sci. 128, 34.

    Google Scholar 

  • Johnson, D. W., Hornbeck, J. W., Kelly, J. M., Swank, W. T., and Todd, D. E.: 1980, ‘Regional Patterns of Soil Sulfate Accumulation: Reference to Ecosystem Sulfur Budgets’, in D. S. Shriner, C. R. Richmond, and S. E. Lindberg (eds.),Atmospheric Sulfur Deposition: Environmental Impact and Health Effects, Ann Arbor Science, Ann Arbor, Michigan, p. 507.

    Google Scholar 

  • Johnson, P. L. and Swank, W. T.: 1973,Ecol. 54, 70.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kadlec, R. H. and Tilton, D. L.: 1979,CRC Crit. Rev. Environ. Control 9, 185.

    Google Scholar 

  • Likens, G. E., Bormann, F. H., Pierce, R. S., Eaton, J. S., and Johnson, N. M.: 1977,Biogeochemistry of a Forested Ecosystem, Springer-Verlag, New York.

    Google Scholar 

  • Losche, C. K. and Beverage, W. W.: 1967,Soil Survey of Tucker County and Part of Northern Randolph County, West Virginia, U.S. Dept. Agriculture, U. S. Forest Service, West Virginia Ag. Expt. Stn.

  • Martin, C. W.: 1975, ‘Relationships Between Precipitation, Streamwater Chemistry, and Vegetation for the Bowl, a Forested Watershed in New Hampshire’, M.S. Thesis, University of New Hampshire, Durham.

    Google Scholar 

  • National Atmospheric Deposition Program: 1980, 1981,NADP Report: Precipitation Chemistry; Fourth Quarter 1980, First, Second, and Third Quarters 1981, National Resource Ecology Laboratory, Colorado State University, For Collins, Colorado.

    Google Scholar 

  • National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration: 1946–1950, 1952–1981,Climatological Data, Annual Summaries, West Virginia, Environmental Data and Information Service, Asheville, North Carolina.

    Google Scholar 

  • Novitzky, R. P.: 1979, ‘Hydrologic Characteristics of Wisconsin's Wetlands and their Influence on Floods, Stream Flow, and Sediment’, in P. E. Greeson, J. R. Clark, and J. E. Clark (eds.),Wetland Functions and Values: the State of our Understanding, American Water Resources Association, Minneapolis, Minn., p. 377.

    Google Scholar 

  • Patrick, W. H. and Tusneem, M. E.: 1972,Ecol. 53, 735.

    Google Scholar 

  • Reddy, K. R. and Patrick, W. H.: 1975,Soil Biol. Biochem. 7, 87.

    Google Scholar 

  • Reger, D. B.: 1923,County Reports: Tucker County, West Virginia Geological Survey.

  • Shriner, D. S. and Henderson, G. S.: 1978,J. Environ. Qual. 7, 392.

    Google Scholar 

  • Strausbaugh, P. D. and Core, E. L.: 1970,Flora of West Virginia, West Virginia University, Morgantown.

    Google Scholar 

  • Technicon Industrial Systems: 1977,Industrial Methods No. 98–70W/A, No. 99–70W/B, No. 100–70W, Technicon Industrial Systems, Tarrytown, New York.

    Google Scholar 

  • Thornthwaite, C. W.: 1948,Geogr. Rev. 38, 55.

    Google Scholar 

  • Valiela, I. and Teal, J. M.: 1978, ‘Nutrient Dynamics: Summary and Recommendations’, in R. E. Good, D. F. Whigham, and R. L. Simpson (eds.),Freshwater Wetlands-Ecological Processes and Management Potential, Academic Press, New York, p. 259.

    Google Scholar 

  • van der Valk, A. G., Davis, C. B., Baker, J. L., and Beer, C. E.: 1979, ‘Natural Fresh Water Wetlands as Nitrogen and Phosphorus Traps for Land Runoff, in P. E. Greeson, J. R. Clark, and J. E. Clark (eds.),Wetland Functions and Values: the State of our Understanding, American Water Resources Association, Minneapolis, Minn., p. 457.

    Google Scholar 

  • Verry, E. S.: 1975,Ecol. 56, 1149.

    Google Scholar 

  • Verry, E. S. and Boelter, D. H.: 1975, ‘The Influence of Bogs on the Distribution of Streamflow in Small Bog-Upland Catchments’, inHydrology of Marsh-Ridden Areas, Minsk Symposium Proceedings, Studies and Reports in Hydrology 19, UNESCO Press, p. 468.

  • Verry, E. S. and Boelter, D. H.: 1979, ‘Peatland Hydrology’, in P. E. Greeson, J. R. Clark, and J. E. Clark (eds.),Wetland Functions and Values: the State of our Understanding, American Water Resources Association, Minneapolis, Minn., p. 389.

    Google Scholar 

  • Verry, E. S. and Timmons, D. R.: 1982,Ecol. 63, 1456.

    Google Scholar 

  • Vitousek, P. M.: 1977,Ecol. Monog. 47, 65.

    Google Scholar 

  • Vitousek, P. M., Gosz, J. R., Grier, C. C., Melillo, J. M., Reiners, W. A., and Todd, R. L.: 1979,Science 204, 469.

    Google Scholar 

  • Walbridge, M. R.: 1982, ‘Vegetation Patterning and Community Distribution in Four High-elevation Headwater Wetlands in West Virginia’, M.S. Thesis, West Virginia University, Morgantown.

    Google Scholar 

  • Whigham, D. F. and Bayley, S. E.: 1979, ‘Nutrient Dynamics in Fresh Water Wetlands’, in P. E. Greeson, J. R. Clark, and J. E. Clark (eds.),Wetland Functions and Values: the State of our Understanding, American Water Resources Association, Minneapolis, Minn., p. 468.

    Google Scholar 

  • Whitehouse, A.: 1980, Buffalo Coal Company, Bayard, W.V., personal communication.

  • Wieder, R. K.: 1982, ‘Biogeochemical Relationships inSphagnum-dominated Wetlands in West Virginia’, Ph.D. Dissertation, West Virginia University, Morgantown.

    Google Scholar 

  • Wieder, R. K., McCormick, A. M., and Lang, G. E.: 1981,Castanea 46, 16.

    Google Scholar 

  • Wieder, R. K. and Lang, G. E.: 1982a, ‘Modification of Acid Mine Drainage in a Freshwater Wetland’, in B. R. McDonald (ed.),Proceedings of the Symposium on Wetlands of the Unglaciated Appalachian Region, West Virginia University, Morgantown.

    Google Scholar 

  • Wieder, R. K. and Lang, G. E.: 1982b, unpublished data.

  • Wieder, R. K. and Lang, G. E.: 1984, ‘Iron Biogeochemistry in Freshwater Wetland Peat’, Presented at the Ocean Sciences Meeting, American Geophysical Union, New Orleans, Louisiana.

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Kelman Wieder, R., Lang, G.E. Influence of wetlands and coal mining on stream water chemistry. Water Air Soil Pollut 23, 381–396 (1984). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00284734

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Revised:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00284734

Keywords

Navigation