EPA-440/3-77-02?                208 Program WQM Guidance Series
DECEMBER 1977
                WATER QUALITY
          MANAGEMENT GUIDANCE FOR
      MINE-RELATED POLLUTION SOURCES
             (New, Current, and Abandoned)
              U.S. ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
             OFFICE OF WATER PLANNING AND STANDARDS
                  WATER PLANNING DIVISION
                   WASHINGTON, D.C. 20460

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        UNITED STATES ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

                          WASHINGTON, D.C. 20450
DEC 7   1977

 SUBJECT:   "Transmittal  of Document  Entitled  "Water Quality Management
           Guidance for Mine-related Pollution  Sources  (New, Current
           and Abandoned)
           njJ
 FROM   :   Walter S. Grosafk>0epuhy Director
           Water P1
 TO
                                 \
          All Regional  Water Division Directors
          All 208 Coordinators
          All Nonpoint Source Coordinators
                                    TECHNICAL  GUIDANCE  MEMORANDUM  - TECH   42
Purpose

Attached is a recently prepared guidance document that  deals  with
water quality management in relation to new,  current and abandoned
mine-related water pollution sources.  This guidance is intended to
assist State and areawide WQM agencies to develop and to implement
mine-related WQM programs that will  be effective in preventing,
controlling and abating pollution from new, current and abandoned
mine-related point and ncnpoint sources.

Guidance

This document is part of a series of guidance materials addressing
WQM planning and implementation in each major nonpoint source pollution
category.  Other publications have or will soon be issued dealing with
construction, hydrologic modifications, silviculture and agriculture.

These documents are provided in accordance with policies and  procedures
of 40 CFR, Part 131:  "EPA will prepare guidelines concerning the
development of water quality management plans to assist State and
areawide (WQM) planning agencies in carrying out the provisions of
these regulations" .

This mine-related guidance separately discusses each of _ the major
program thrusts which might be appropriately taken within mine-related
WQM programs.  These include:  identification and assessment  of existing
current and abandoned sources; development and implementation of current
source control systems; mine-related "Best Management Practices";
development and implementation of abandoned source pollution  abatement
programs; planning for prevention and control of pollution from new
mine-related sources; and continuing water quality management and WQM
planning.
 Enclosure

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                                        EPA-440/3-77-027
  WATER QUALITY MANAGEMENT GUIDANCE

                     FOR

     MINE-RE LA TED POLLUTION SOURCES
           (New, Current and Abandoned)
    208 Water Quality Management Program
                 PREPARED BY:

                   DAN DEELY
MINE-RELATED AND SILVICULTURAL WQM PROGRAMS
          NONPOINT SOURCES BRANCH
     U. S. ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
    OFFICE OF WATER PLANNING AND STANDARDS
            WATER PLANNING DIVISION
             WASHINGTON, D. C.  20460

                   December 1977

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                     ACKNOWLEDGEMENT







Constructive review of early drafts of this mine-related



WQM guidance by the following groups is acknowledged:



U. S. D. I.  Bureau of Mines; U. S. D. A. Soil Conservation Service;



U.S. D.I.  Fish and Wildlife Service; U. S. D.A.  Forest Service;



U. S. D. I.  Bureau of Land Management; U. S. D. I.  Geological



Survey; various mine-related industrial trade associations;



various national citizens' organizations; the Appalachian Regional



Commission; selected State water pollution control agencies;



representatives of mine-related industrial firms; selected State



and designated areawide WQM agencies; and numerous officials



within U. S. EPA Headquarters  and its  Regional Offices and



research facilities.

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                               SUMMARY


     State and areawide water quality management (WQM) agencies are

 committed to achievement of "water quality that provides for the protection

 and propagation of fish, shellfish and  wildlife and provides for recreation

 in and on the water ... by  July 1,  1983 ..." under Public Law 92-500,

 "Federal Water Pollution Control Act Amendments of 1972".

    Mine-related water quality management efforts undertaken by State

 or by designated areawide WQM agencies to achieve this water quality goal

 must deal with one or more  of these five major program orientations:

       1.  Identification and assessment of existing current and  abandoned

 sources;

       2.  Current source control,  and identification and use of Best

 Management Practices or  BMP's;

       3.  Abandoned source abatement;

       4.  New source planning; and

       5.  Continuing management and WQM planning.

 This WQM guidance material discusses the pertinent issues and suggests

 work plan tasks and task sequences for addressing, in  turn, each of these

 differing program orientations.
                                                  II
    Recently enacted Federal coal mining legislation   promises to be an

 effective implementation mechanism for prevention,  control and abatement

 of pollution from new, current and abandoned coal mine-related sources.

 The abandoned mine reclamation, current mine regulatory control, hydrologic

 system protection, and mining unsuitability designation provisions of the new

 law, (which is to be administered by the U. S. Department of Interior) are

 consistent with this guidance, and should serve well the goals  and objectives


 I/  "Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act of 1977," Public Law 95-87,
~   August 3,  1977.
                                     iv

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of the U. S. Environmental Protection Agency WQM program.  Public Law
95-87 requires implementation of strong water pollution control in all coal
States, provides Federal grant funds for State regulatory program develop-
ment, partial Federal funding for control implementation and continuing
enforcement costs, and establishes an Abandoned Mine Reclamation Fund.
These provisions and requirements are so comprehensive that WQM  agencies
in coal States may increasingly focus more 208  Program effort on control
of water  pollution stemming from noncoal mineral industrial operations.
    Mine-related water pollution  includes all point and nonpoint source
pollutant contributions to receiving surface waters and ground waters,
resulting from mineral exploration, mine development,  mineral extraction,
mineral processing, mineral transport,  mineral storage and mineral waste
disposal. The example of mine-site hydrologic examination contained in
Appendix A will be found useful for understanding distinctions between point
sources and nonpoint sources  as  they are currently defined under the
National  Pollutant Discharge Elimination System. Mine -related WQM program
efforts should be defined in response to recognized management and control
system needs.
    Identification and assessment should determine which contributing
current and abandoned mine-related pollution sources, and the extent
to which  such sources, interfere with achievement of water quality goals
and with  protection of beneficial water uses.
     State and areawide WQM agencies must assure that the necessary
institutional arrangements, management programs and control systems
are established to achieve water  quality goals and to protect beneficial
water uses.

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    Mine dewatering and mineral processing waste water discharges from



current operations are controlled as point sources either directly by



the Federal government (U.S.  EPA) or through approved State regulatory



control programs under the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System



(NPDES); nonpoint sources of water pollution associated with all phases



of current mine -related industrial operations are to be controlled through



the use of Best Management  Practices or BMP's. WQM agencies may



not be directly involved in design and  application of the specific details



of preventive measures and control practices or BMP"s at individual



mineral industrial operations sites. This is so because the mining industry



will often play the biggest part in designing the specific details of preventive



measures and control practices for use  at each site. The responsibility



of WQM agencies lies rather in seeing to it that a regulatory process



is established which is effective  in identifying "Best Management Practices"



for each mine-related operation,  and  that those preventive measures and



control practices which are identified are also in fact utilized.



    With respect to abandoned mine-related  sources, the legal,  institutional



and financial arrangements required for implementation of water pollution



abatement programs hold the key to success more often than supporting



engineering and water quality data.  Abandoned mine program efforts must



emphasize direct abatement of water pollution, but must be integrated



with other objectives,  such as  aesthetics, land productivity restoration,



economic development, public  safety,  etc.,  if programs are  to gain adequate



political support.



    WQM planning for  new mine-related sources involves identification



of potential contributing sources, assessment of future pollutant impacts






                                     vi

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on receiving surface water and ground water quality goals and beneficial



uses, and development of management and control system strategies



designed to  achieve effective prevention and control.



    Continuing management and WQM planning processes are to be developed



which provide effective  on-going control of mine-related sources, anticipate



and deal with new source prevention and control needs, and coordinate



mine-related management and  control systems with all other aspects of



the overall WQM program.
                                         Vll

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                         TABLE OF CONTENTS

                                                                  Page

1.0  A WQM PROGRAM FOR MINE-RELATED SOURCES

      1.1  Requirements and Definitions	1-1

      1. 2  Commercially Mined Minerals	1-4

      1. 3  Mine -Related Pollutants	1-4

      1. 4  Mine -Related Pollution Sources	1-7

      1. 5  General Forms  of Mine-Related Water Pollution	1-7

      1. 6  Focusing WQM Work on Control/Management System Needs.. . 1-10



2. 0   EXISTING  SOURCE IDENTIFICATION AND ASSESSMENT

      2.1  Purpose	2-1

      2. 2  Identification and Assessment Tasks	2-1



3.0   CURRENT SOURCE  CONTROL

      3.1  Introduction	3-1

      3. 2  Overview of Mine-Related Control Systems	3-3

      3. 3  Current Source  WQM Tasks	3-8

      3.4  Control System  Implementation and Continuing
          Water Quality Management	3-16



4.0   MINE-RELATED BEST MANAGEMENT PRACTICES

      4.1  Identification of BMP's in a Control System Context	4-1

      4. 2  Basic  Objective and Approach to  BMP Application	4-2

      4. 3  General Control Principles and Examples of Specific
          Preventive  Measures and Control Practices	4-3

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                                                                  Page

5. 0  ABANDONED SOURCE ABATEMENT

     5.1  Introduction	 5-1

     5,2  Abatement Program Tasks	 5-3

     5. 3  Abatement Program Implementation	 5-17



6. 0  NEW SOURCE POLLUTION CONTROL PLANNING

     6.1  New Source WQM Program Requirements	6-1

     6. 2  Pollution Control Planning for Routine New Sources	6-3

     6. 3  Pollution Control Planning for Major New
          Mine-Related Industrial Developments	6-13
7. 0   CONTINUING MINE-RELATED WATER QUALITY MANAGEMENT
      AND WQM PLANNING

      7.1 Operational Mine-Related Pollution Control and
         Water Quality Management	7-1

      7. 2 Continuing WQM  Planning	  7-3
APPENDIX A

      EXAMPLE-MINE SITE HYDROLOGIC EXAMINATION	A-L



APPENDIX B

      DISCUSSION OF WATER QUALITY IMPLICATIONS OF MINE-
      RE LATED INDUSTRY ACTIONS	B-l



SELECTED REFERENCES	R-l

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                        LIST OF FIGURES
2.1   Task Outline for Identification and Assessment of Existing
      Mine-Related Pollution Sources	2-2

2.2   Diversity Index Values Upstream and Downstream from a
      Typical Zinc Mine -Mill Complex	2 -23

2. 3   Comparison of Monthly Erosion  Index or Energy-Intensity
      of Rainfall During the Average Year in Eastern Kentucky,
      the Western Florida Panhandle and Western North Dakota	2-27

4.1   Cross Section of Diversion Ditch Applications	4-15

4. 2   Reducing Surface Water Infiltration to Buried
      Pollution-forming Materials	4-25

4. 3   Cross Section of Typical Contour Backfill	4-29

4. 4   Typical Section Slope Drain Installation	4-33

4. 5   Typical Flexible Slope Drain Installation	4-34

4. 6   Typical Installation of Pipe Buried in Fill Slope	4-35

4. 7   Block-cut Method	4-39

4. 8   Block-cut Method:  Stripping Phase	4-40

4. 9   Block-cut Method:  Backfilling Phase	4-40

4.10  Block-cut Method:  Controlled Placement of Spoil,
      Steps 1, 2,  and 3	4-43

4.11  Block-cut Method:  Controlled Placement of Spoil,
      Steps 4, 5, and 6	4-44

A-l   Representation of a Hypothetical Current Surface
      Mining Operation	A-2

A-2  Water  Inputs and Point and Nonpoint Source Water and
      Pollutant Transfer  Pathways From a Hypothetical Current
      Surface Mining Operation	A-3

B-l   Typical Sequence of Activities Associated with Conduct
      of a Surface Mining Operation Shown in Relation to Local
      Temperature, Local Streamflow, Local Rainfall Quantity
      and Local Rainfall Energy-Intensity (Erosive Force)	B-7

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                           LIST OF TABLES

                                                                    Page

1.1    Classification of Commercially Mined Minerals	1-5

1. 2    Mine-Related Pollution Source Areas by Phase of Operation	  1-8

5.1    Mine Drainage Pollution Abatement and Control Techniques	5-8, 9

B-l   An Example Classification of Mine-Related Functional and
      Nonfunctional Operations Site Features by Stages	B-2

B-2   Estimated Environmenental Effects of Coal Surface Mining	B-4

B-3   Rating of Environmental Effects of Discrete Coal
      Surface Mining and Reclamation Operations	B-5

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                              CHAPTER 1.0



           A WQM PROGRAM FOR MINE-RELATED SOURCES





1. 1 Requirements and Definitions



    1.1.1 Requirements



          Section 201(c)of Public Law 92-500,  "Federal Water Pollution



Control Act Amendments of 1972, " requires that "To the extent practicable,



waste treatment management shall be on an areawide basis and provide



control or treatment of all point  and nonpoint sources of pollution, including



in place or accumulated pollution sources. "



    Section 208(b)(2)(G) states that "Any [208] plan prepared under [a



continuing State or areawide waste treatment management planning process]



shall  include, but not be limited  to,  a process to identify,  if appropriate,



Uiine -related sources  of pollution,  including new current and abandoned



Surface and underground mine runoff, and set forth procedures and methods



(including land use requirements) to control to the extent feasible such



Sources. "



    Each State or designated areawide water quality management agency



will formulate a work  program for mine-related pollution source identi-



fication and control.  These  programs will vary in level of detail, in



content and in timing according to local  conditions, such as:



          1.  The characteristics of past, present and future mine-related



              industrial activities;



          2.   The water pollution impact potential of mine-related sources; and



          3.   The features and effectiveness  of any existing control system(s).



Initially, State and areawide WQM agencies must judge whether mine-related



sources of water pollution within each of their planning jurisdictions deserve



attention as a part of their water quality management planning process.

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                                  1-2



         Mineral industrial operations take place within all fifty States.



Because of the nature and characteristics of mining and associated mineral



industrial operations, potential surface water and/or ground water pollution



contributions  (principally in the forms of sedimentation and mineralization)



should normally be expected. Unless there is definite proof that mine-related



operations do not in any way adversely affect protection and propagtion of



fish,  shellfish and wildlife, or other beneficial water uses,  mine-related



sources of water pollution and hydrologic impacts should be examined within



the framework of WQM programs in every State.





    1.1. 2 Definitions



           Point Source --a mine-related point source is "any discernable,



confined,  and discrete conveyance, including but not limited to any pipe,



channel, ditch, tunnel,  conduit, well, discrete fissure (or) container .



from  which pollutants are or may be discharged, " from any mine-related



area or facility under the effluent guidelines and other applicable provisions



of a National Pollutant Discharge  Elimination System (NPDES) permit.  The



applicability  of federal point source effluent limitations to mine-related



discharges is addressed in effluent guidelines and standards rules and



regulations published in the Federal Register by the U. S  Environmental



Protection Agency (EPA).



           Nonpoint Source --a mine-related nonpoint source is a contributing



source resulting from mineral industrial activity which causes surface water



and/or ground water pollution beyond those point source pollutant discharges



which are specifically controlled by NPDES permit.   Mine-related nonpoint



sources (not  controlled by NPDES permit) include all pollutant contributions



other than NPDES discharges from active, inactive and abandoned surface



and underground mine sites, mine spoils, mine haul roads, mineral exploration

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                                  1-3





operations,  mineral transport systems, mineral processing, storage, waste



disposal and other affected areas. Also included are surface areas,



ground water and hydrologic systems affected by underground mining.



          Best Management Practices  --a Best Management Practice (BMP)



is defined in EPA's "Guidance for State and Areawide Water Quality



Management Program Development" (November 1976), as:



              "... a practice, or combination of practices, that is



              determined by a State (or designated areawide planning



              agency) after problem assessment, examination of



              alternative practices, and appropriate public participation



              to be the most effective,  practicable (including technological,



              economic,  and institutional considerations) means of pre-



              venting or reducing the amount of pollution generated by



              nonpoint sources to a level compatible with water quality goals.



           Identification  -- the recognition of specific mine-related sites



or classes of mine-related sites as contributing sources or potentially con-



tributing sources of water pollution and/or hydrologic system disturbance.



           Assessment -- the act of determining the effects or impacts of



mine-related  pollutant contributions and hydrologic system disturbances



from identified mine sites or mine -related source subcategories on achieve -



ment of water quality  goals and protection of beneficial water uses.



           Mine-related  Source Subcategory --a group or class of sites



or sources  of mineral industrial operations defined for convenience in



conducting WQM work.



           National Water Quality Goal -- Section 101 of Public Law 92-500



identifies the  national goal as "water quality that provides  for the protection

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                                   1-4





and propagation of fish,  shellfish,  and wildlife and provides for



recreation in and on the water ...  by July 1,  1983 .. .. "





1. 2  Commercially Mined Minerals



     Commercially mined mineral  commodities may be classified and



described according to any of a number of different mineral classification



systems.  The minerals list in Table 1.1  is based with minor modifications



on Standard Industrial Codes (SIC).



     Each of these mineral commodities occurs under a differing range of



geologic, hydrologic,  climatic and surface topographic conditions.  Separate



point source  effluent discharge guidelines (including in some cases "zero



discharge" requirements) have been proposed or adopted as NPDES require-



ments for control of mine dewatering and process waste water discharges



associated with mining and milling or processing of all commercially



extracted minerals which produce  confined point source waste water



discharges.  NPDES discharge limitations for point sources in each mineral



subcategory are applicable to mineral industrial operations in all States.



     Nonpoint source controls may  similarly be needed to prevent or to



control other forms of surface water and/or ground water pollution from



areas affected by operations associated with all commercially mined minerals.





1.3  Mine -related  Pollutants



     Specific  pollutants associated with mining,  milling and processing of



each mineral commodity may be identified generally from EPA's effluent



guidelines development documents. For  greater detail, identification can



be made from various mine-related water pollution reports and research



studies,  Federal,  State, local and  industrial water quality  records and



experienced experts.

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                                                   1-5
                        Table 1.1 • Classification of Commercially Mined Mineral!
1.  Mineral Fuels and Carbonaceous Minerals
Anthracite Coal
Bituminous Coal
Sub-Bituminous Coal
Lignite
Natural Gas
                       Geothermal Energy
                       Petroleum
                       Oil Shale
                       Tar Sands
                       Peat
                       Carbon Dioxide
2. Metallic Minerals
Iron
Copper
Lead
Zinc
Gold
Silver
Bauxite
Ferroalloys
Cobalt, Columbium, Managanese, Nickel
Chromium, Tantalum, Molybdenum, Tungsten
                        Mercury
                        Antimony
                        Beryllium
                        Platinum
                        Tin
                        Titanium
                        Rare Earth (elements 39 and 57-71}
                        Zirconium
                        Uranium
                        Radium
                        Vanadium
3. Nonmetallic Minerals
a.  Dimension stone

  Granite     Limestone
  Quartz      Quartzite
  Dolomite   Marble
  Slate       Sandstone
         b. Crush stone

            Calcareous Marl
            Granite
            Traprock
            Marble
            Sandstone
             c. Sand and gravel (construction)
d. Industrial sand
e.  Asphaltic minerals

   Bituminous limestone
   Oil impregnated diatomite
   Gilsonite
 Limestone
 Dolomite
 Shells
 Quartzite
 Quartz

f.  Other nonmetallic minerals

   Asbestos
   Wollastonite
   Lightweight aggregate
    minerals
        Perlite
        Pumice
       Vermiculite
  Mica
  Sericite
  Barite
  Fluorspar
  Salines
  Borates
  Potash
  Trona ore
  Phosphate rock
 Rock salt
 Sulfur (Frasch)
 Mineral pigments
 Lithium minerals
 Sodium sulphate
 Bentonite
 Fill and base materials
 Fire Clay
                                                                                    Fuller's earth
                                                                                       Attapulgite
                                                                                       Montmorillonite
                                                                                    Kaolin
                                                                                    Ball Clay
                                                                                    Feldspar
                                                                                    Kyanite
                                                                                    Magnesite (naturally occurring)
                                                                                    Shale and other clay minerals
                                                                                       Shale
                                                                                       Aplite
                                                                                   Talc
                                                                                   Soapstone
                                                                                   Pyrophyllite
                                                                                  Steatite
                                                                                   Natural abrasives
                                                                                       Garnet
                                                                                       Tripoli
                                                                                  Diatomite
                                                                                  Graphite
                                                                                  Miscellaneous nonmetallic minerals
                                                                                       Jade
                                                                                       Novaculite
                                                                                  Top soil

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                                  1-6

    Stream parameters and specific pollutants that have been monitored

in association with control of mine-related water pollution include:

           Surface water flow                 Sulphates
           Ground water movement            Hardness (cations except
           Temperature                                     alkali metals)
           pH                                Chemical oxygen demand (COD)
           Acidity                           Specific conductance
           Alkalinity                         Salts
           Dissolved oxygen (DO)             Metals  (most widely monitored)
           Turbidity                             Iron
           Total suspended solids (TSS)           Aluminum
           Total dissolved solids  (TDS)          Manganese
                                                Zinc

Contaminants which have been monitored to a lesser extent include:

copper, cobalt,  nickel, arsenic, lead,  mercury,  cadmium,  chromium,

sulfur, uranium, cyanide, antimony, ammonia,  radium 226, fluoride,

phosphate, phenol, nitrogen, and molybdenum.

    Aquatic biological criteria relate more directly to the water quality goal

and impacts on goal achievement than do chemical parameters.  Alternative

biological field study methodologies are described in "Biological Field and

Laboratory Methods for Measuring the Quality of Surface Waters and Effluents",

EPA 670/4-73-001, July 1973.

    Each mineral that is mined, milled or processed within  each State or

local area will be  characterized by its own particular set of potential surface

water and/or ground water pollutants. Asbestos  fibers, radioactive con-

taminants, fugitive dust,  or thermal pollution may present problems in

some areas.  Amendments (fertilizers,  etc. ) applied for revegetation and

final reclamation on some surface mine sites, as well as milling and

processing reagents, may expand the list of pollutant parameters to include

BOD,  nitrates, and others dependent upon specific conditions and amendment

and reagent constituents.  Chemical properties of mineral deposits closely

associated with each mineral mined in each locale will also  directly

influence the types of pollutants which may be present.

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                                   1-7





1. 4 Mine-related Pollution Sources



    Contributing mine-related point and/or nonpoint sources of water



pollution can occur at the majority of sites affected by each of the phases



of mineral industrial operations.  These phases include mineral exploration,



mine development, mineral extraction, mineral transport, mineral milling



and processing, mineral product storage and mineral waste disposal.



Minerals that were mined in other States or  imported from overseas may



be processed in a local area. Secondary transport of mineral products



from primary storage areas to final users, or to raw material storage



areas, may produce water pollution contributions similar to those associated



with mine-related sources.  However,  these contributions may be more logically



treated as  a part of the examination of each of the various  user industrial



categories, such as coke,  steel, utilities, cement, fertilizers,  brick,



etc.  Regardless of where the lines of distinction are drawn between mine-



related and user industry pollution contributions, Section 201(c) of  Public



Law 92-500 which instructs WQM agencies to provide  for "control  or



treatment  of all point and nonpoint sources of pollution" will remain



applicable  and will be unaffected by the definitions of categories. Table



1. 2 contains a list of the types of pollution source areas



associated with each of the phases of mineral industrial operations.





1. 5 General Forms of Mine-related Water Pollution



    Water pollution from mine-related sources includes all discharges



controlled by NPDES permit,  as well as other surface water and ground



water  pollutant contributions which result from mineral exploration,



mine development, mineral extraction,  processing, transport,  storage

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                                             1-8
             Table 1.2 - Mine-related Pollution Source Areas by Phase of Operation
      Phase of mineral
      industrial operation
 Mine-related pollution
 source areas
                                                          Deposit/source description
      Exploration phase


      Development phase


      Extraction phase!'
      Transportation phase
      Processing phase
      Waste disposal phase
      Storage phase
 Exploration sites (drill pads,
  excavations, etc.)

 Mine development
Open pit mine (rock
   quarries, copper, iron, etc.)
                               Deep mine (mostly metallic)
                               Deep mine (coal, etc.)
                               Strip mine (clay, sand and
                                 gravel, etc.)
                               Strip mine (coal, phosphata
                                 etc.)
                               Mineral extraction wells
Mineral transportation
   systems (including
   loading/receiving areas)

Ancillary milling and process-
   ing plant areas
  Mineral waste disposal
   areas
                                                          Roads, shafts, facilities,
                                                            wells, etc.

                                                          Thick, concentrated
                                                            deposits, usually sup-
                                                            porting long duration
                                                            operations, above or
                                                            below ground water
                                                            level

                                                          Irregular and vein deposits,
                                                            above or below ground
                                                            water level

                                                           Extensive continuous bed
                                                            deposits, above or  below
                                                            ground water level

                                                           Irregularly occurring, ex-
                                                            posed, or shallowly over-
                                                            burdened  deposit

                                                           Extensive overburdened bed
                                                            deposit above or below
                                                            ground water level

                                                           Petroleum,  natural gas, brine,
                                                            geothermal,  leaching and
                                                            solution mining wells

                                                           Mine haul roads, pipelines,
                                                            conveyors, truck, rail and
                                                            barge transport systems

                                                           Screening, crushing,  washing
                                                            and concentration, and
                                                            benefaction  operations

                                                          Refuse and tailings piles,
                                                            tailings ponds, slime ponds,
                                                            injection wells, etc.
Crude and processed
  mineral storage areas
I/
                                                           Temporary or long term
                                                            storage sites at processing
                                                            area or at raw material
                                                            storage area near user
                                                            manufacturing/industrial/
                                                            utility site
Open  pit mining,  deep mining,  strip mining  and well  extraction  are listed
as examples  (there are also a  number  of important  variations  of each of
these methods).   Other forms or  methods of  mining  not listed  include placer
mining, hydraulic mining,  in-situ leaching  and combustion,  auger mining,
and geothermal energy extraction.

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                                   1-9

and waste disposal.  Mine-related point sources include milling and
processing 'plant waste water discharges (processing phase) and mine
dewatering discharges (extraction phase).  Mine-related nonpoint sources
on the other hand can be associated  with any or all phases of mineral
industrial operations.
    The characteristics of specific  nonpoint sources will be determined
by the manner of interaction of the mine-related operations with internal
and the  surrounding external hydrologic systems.  The types of pollutants
and modes or circumstances of transfer will be related to the mineral
being mined, the associated beds being disturbed, the specific methods of
mining, and associated processing,  transport, storage and waste disposal.
Some of the various forms of mine-related nonpoint water pollution are:
           1.  Suspended solids carried by immediate surface runoff;
           2.  Dissolved solids carried by immediate surface runoff;
           3.  Suspended and dissolved solids in proximate subsurface
              water seepage;
           4.  Dissolved solids in ground water recharge;
           5.  Dissolved solids in ground water discharge;
           6.  Uncontrolled contributions from mine-related point sources:
               a.  High instantaneous concentrations of regulated pollutants
                   in excess of effluent  discharge guidelines, but falling
                   within the NPDES instantaneous and  daily average
                   discharge limitations;
               b.  Unregulated minor contaminants in point source discharges
                   which are not specifically included under NPDES effluent
                  limitations;

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                                  1-10





               c.  Untreated mine dewatering discharges during or*



                   following major storm events  (NPDES point source



                   treatment systems may be bypassed during storm



                   events of greater than a 10-year, 24-hour intensity);



           7.  Reclaimed mine area and undisturbed area drainage diversion



              discharges; and



           8.  Surface water and ground water contamination and degradation



              induced by mine-related hydrologic disturbances and imbalances.



              Some  examples of mine-caused hydrologic disturbances are:



              modification of surface water flow regimes downstream from



              mineral industrial operations; increased or decreased ground



              water recharge; lowering of ground water levels as a result



              of mine dewatering; reduction of base flow in surface water



              courses; and inducement of salt water intrusion or interaquifer



              flows resulting in fresh water aquifer contamination.  Hydrologic



              modifications can not only degrade surface water and ground



              water  quality but may produce damaging modifications to aquatic



              habitats of fish, shellfish and wildlife.





1. 6 Focusing  WQM Work on Control/Management System Needs



    Mine-related water pollution control and management system needs



must be recognized before the work plan is formulated if WQM efforts are



to focus on the most  appropriate issues.  Control and management system



needs and associated WQM requirements  will depend upon:



           1.  The characteristics of past, present, and future mineral



              industrial operations within the planning area;

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                                   1-11

           2.  The water pollution impact and impact potential of contributing
              mine-related pollution sources on achievement of water
              quality goals and protection of beneficial water uses;
           3.  The accomplishments of past and continuing mine-related
               WQM efforts; and specifically
           4.  The adequacy and effectiveness of established  regulatory
              control systems and pollution abatement programs.
    1.6.1  WQM Advisory Committees
           WQM advisory committees should be used to determine the most
appropriate focus  for the initial mine-related WQM work plan.  EPA's "Public
Participation Handbook for Water Quality Management" (June 1976), and
"Working Effectively with Advisory  Committees in Water Quality Planning"
(May 1977), suggest  an organizational structure for advisory  committees.
A properly constituted Mine-related Water  Pollution Committee or a general
committee (such as a Nonpoint Pollution Committee) consisting of mining agency
and industry representatives should be able to identify and examine existing
information and recommend the most appropriate orientation for the mine-
related WQM work plan. The advisory committee approach also will insure
that the content and timing of mine-related WQM efforts are consistent with
all other aspects of the overall WQM program in each State or local area.
Mine-related WQM objectives should be consistent with and supportive of the
wildlife management plans, programs and goals of agencies of each of the
levels  of government operating within the State or local planning jurisdiction.
            Representatives from the following groups could serve on a
mine-related advisory committee:

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                                  1-12
          1.  State Government:

             - Geologic Survey
             - Bureau of Mines
             - Division  of Reclamation
             - Water Pollution Control (mining)
             - Solid Waste Management (mining)
             - Fish and Game Department
             - Abandoned Mine Abatement Program Office

          2. Industry:

              - Mining Industrial Trade Associations
              - Mining Companies
              - Mining Industrial Services Companies
              - Mineral-using Industrial Firms

          3.  Federal Government:

              - U. S. Department of Interior
              - U. S. D. I. Office of Surface Mining Reclamation
                and Enforcement
              - U. S. D. I. Geological Survey
              - U. S D. I. Bureau of Mines
              -  U. S. D. I.  Fish and Wildlife Service
              -  U S. D. I.  Bureau of Land Management
              -  U. S. D. I.  National Park Service
              -  U. S. D. I. Mining Enforcement and Safety Administration
              -  U. S. D.A.  Forest Service
              -  U. S. D. A.  Soil Conservation Service
              -  Energy Research and Development Administration
              -  Department of Defense Land Management Offices
              -  Nuclear Regulatory Commission
              -  Army Corps of Engineers


   1.6.2  WQM Program Areas

          Mine-related WQM work can be classified into several program

areas, each of which is discussed  separately within other chapters of this

guidance:

          1.  Existing source identification and assessment (Chapter 2);

          2.  Current source control system development (Chapter 3);

          3.  Identification of BMP's in a control system context (Chapter 4);

          4.  Abandoned source pollution abatement program development

              (Chapter 5);

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                                  1-13

           5.  New source identification,  assessment, and control strategy
              formulation (Chapter 6); and
           6.  Continuing water quality management and WQM planning
              process development (Chapter 7).
           The advisory committee (s) should be charged with the task of
sifting through existing data bearing on abandoned, current and new mines,
mine-related operations, and mine-related water pollution.  The committee (s)
should set priorities for WQM efforts among the  various mine-related
WQM program areas.
           In advance of decisions regarding work plan orientation an
examination of mine -related control and management system needs should
provide appropriate responses to the following series of questions:
           o  How much effort within the WQM program should be
             focussed on identifying existing mine-related contributing
             sources (current and abandoned) and assessing their
             impacts on surface water and ground water quality and
             water quality goal achievement and beneficial use protection?
           o  How much relative emphasis should be given to current source
             vs abandoned source WQM program orientations ?
           o  How complete and effective in preventing and controlling
             water pollution from all  contributing point and  nonpoint sources
             is any existing regulatory control system ?
                 It may be particularly difficult for a WQM agency to obtain
                 an objective answer to questions of control  system effective-
                 ness,  especially if the WQM agency is itself a part of the
                 government organization which  administers the control
                 program. Both mine -related regulatory control authorities

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                                   1-14





                and representatives of regulated industries may be reluctant



                to admit to control system deficiencies or to recommend



                any critical examination of existing control system effective-



                ness as a part of the WQM program.



           o Are the most  effective of available preventive measures and



             control practices (BMP's) being identified and used to prevent and



             control water  pollution from all contributing mine-related sources?





           o Is there any established pollution abatement program for



             abandoned mines which could be used to achieve  water quality



             goals defined  through the WQM program ?



           o How much WQM program effort should be focused on new



             sources of water pollution from future mineral industrial



             operations ?



           o What emphasis and importance should be attached to



             development of an effective continuing water quality



             management process and an ongoing WQM planning program?





           Chapters 2 through 7 deal with each of the major mine-related



WQM program  orientations  (i. e.  existing source identification and assess-



ment, current sources, abandoned sources,  new sources, etc. ).  Important



aspects of WQM are identified, pertinent issues are discussed, and,  where



appropriate, work plan  tasks and task sequences are suggested.

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                              CHAPTER 2.0





         EXISTING SOURCE IDENTIFICATION AND ASSESSMENT







2.1 Purpose^



    The primary purpose for conducting an identification and assessment



(I and A) of existing currently active, inactive and abandoned sources in



association with a State or areawide WQM program is to place the  impacts



from various mine-related water pollution sources in proper perspective



on an areawide basis with one another and with the impacts of pollutants



from all other categories of contributing sources (municipal, industrial,



agricultural, silvicultural, construction,  urban, etc. ).



    In addition, I and A should produce information useful for determining



the most appropriate emphasis, detail,  and timing for other aspects of



mine -related WQM program work.



    I and A effort should determine which contributing current or abandoned



mine-related pollution sources and the extent to which these sources



interfere with achievement of water quality goals and with protection of



beneficial water uses.





2.2 Identification and Assessment  Tasks



    Figure 2.1 illustrates a task sequence for I and A of existing mine-related



water pollution sources.   The general task sequence  is shown within the



larger framework of other WQM data bases and analysis modules to illustrate



that mine-related WQM tasks are never performed in isolation from



other aspects of State and areawide WQM programs.

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                                                                    2-2
                       FIGURE 2.1- TASK OUTLME FOfl BENTBCATON AND ASSESSMENT OF EXBTMG HUE-RELATED POUUTDN SOURCES
NATURAL AND CULTURAL
      DATA BASE
   AND INTERACTIVE
   ANALYSIS MODULE
  • CLIMATIC

  • GEOGLOGIC

  • EOAPHIC

  • TOPOGRAPHIC

  • DRAINAGE

  • GROUNDWATER
      HYOROLOGIC

 • • LAND USE

  • PMOTOGRAMETRIC
      SUBSYSTEM

  • VEGETATION
< OUTPUT FROM MINE-
   RELATEDEFFORT
                                                                 MIKI  DELATED SOURCE
                                                                  SimCATEGORIJATION
                                                        (SOURCE CLASSIFICATIONS REFLECT POLLUTION
                                                            HA/AHO AND I)C LIVERY POrENTIALI
                                                              REVISION AND SPECIFICATION OF
                                                               WATER QUALITY STANDARDS
                                                         (INCORPORATING NPS DESIGN FLOW CONDITIONS
                                                            PRELIMINARVEFFLUENT LIMITED AND

                                                                 WATER QUALITY LIMITED

                                                                 SEGMENT IDENTIFICATION
                                                                            < INTERACTION >
                                                                            < INPUT TO MINE
                                                                             RELATEDEFFORT
   < INTERACTION >
LOCATION AND DESCRIPTION
         OF

 MINC-RELATEO SOURCES
                                    MINE-RELATED POLLUTANT

                                         LOAD ANALYSIS
                                            EXISTING
                                 WATER QUALITY DATA INTERPRETATION
                               FOI1 MINE-RELATED POLLUTANT LOAOINdS
                                      < INPUT TO MINE-
                                       RELATED EFFORT
                                        EXISTING SOURCE
                             POLLUTANT LOAD AND LOAD IMPACT DESCRIPTION
                                 (UNDER CRITICAL DESIGN CONDITIONS)
                  RELATIVE DESCR'PTION
                          or
                     IMPACTS/HAZARDS
                         e INTERACTION
                   QUANTITATIVE DESCRIPTION
                             OF
              POLLUTANT LOADINGS/THANSPORT/IMPACTS
                                                                                     CRITICAL MINE-RELATED
                                                                                        LOAD1AMPLINO
                                                                                  FOR CALIBRATION/VERIFICATION
                                                                                       OUTPUT f ROM
                                                                                      MINE- RELATED
                                                                                         EFFORT >
            DESCRIPTION Of RELATIVE MINE-RELATED
            SOURCE(POILUTANTDELIVEHWR£CEIVING
            WATCH IMPACTS (QUALITY. LIFE. USES)
                                                                                        LOADING MODEL
                                                                                             1
                                                                                       TRANSPORT MODEL
                                                                                   WATER QUALITY IMPACT MODEL
                                                                                  (YIELDING IN-STREAM POLLUTANT
                                                                                        CONCENTRATIONS!
                                                                                     BENEFICIAL USE IMPACT
                                                                                          ESTIMATION
                                                                                    (INTERACTION)
                               C INTERACTION >
                                   DESCRIPTION OF MINE-RELATED
                                        POLLUTANT IMPACTS
                                 ON RECEIVING WATER DUALITY GOALS
                                       AND BENEFICIAL USES
    WATER QUALITY
      DATA BASE
         AND
   ANALYSIS MODULE
  POINT SOURCE LOADS
    AND DESCRIPTIONS

  QUALITY AND FLOW
    DATA

• NONPOINT SOURCE
    LOADS AND DESCRIPTIONS
•  MONITORING AND
     SAMPLING SUBSYSTEM

•  MODELS AND
     ANALYSIS SUBSYSTEM

•  GROUNDWATER DATA

• BENEFICIAL WATER USES AND
     QUALITY/QUANTITY
     REQUIREMENTS

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                                  2-3





    Mine-related I and A can use information from the larger water



quality data base and the larger natural and cultural information base



which routinely must be prepared as a part of every WQM program.



Mine-related WQM efforts may also produce  outputs which can be



usefully input into, and integrated with,  other phases of the overall



WQM effort. For example, estimates of mine-related sediment loadings



could be  put into the larger water quality data base, and integrated and



compared with  sediment loadings estimates from agricultural sources,



silvicultural sources, construction sources,  etc.





    2.2.1  Subcategprization of Mine-related Sources



           Mine-related pollution sources should be subcategorized



(classified) according to similarities in pollution hazard and risk potential



and specific types of pollutants generated.  Distinctions normally should



be made  among mine-related operations involving different mineral



commodities,  except in those cases where the pollutants generated are



the same or very similar in composition, range of concentration, and



mechanisms of delivery.  Separate subcategories will usually be  recognized



for abandoned sources, inactive  sources, and active sources; in addition



to deep mine sources,  surface mine sources, well extraction sources,



mineral processing  sources, mineral transport sources  (roads, railroads,



etc. ), mineral storage sources,  and mineral waste disposal site  sources.



           Subcategories  may be established  for convenience in dealing



with institutional as well as with technical distinctions among sources.



For example, active metallic mines on Federal lands could be classified



separately from  active mines on State or on private property.

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                                  2-4
           Most mineral industrial operations sites will contribute



pollutants to surface and/or ground waters through nonpoint source



mechanisms.  Even those mineral extraction and processing sites which



are characterized by mine dewatering and process waste water point



source discharges, controlled under NPDES permits,  will often contribute



pollutants simultaneously through nonpoint source mechanisms.



           When recognition of numerous mine source subcategories



becomes too difficult some groups can be merged into a smaller number



of combined classes.



           In some cases, the pollutant impact from particular mine



source subcategories on surface water and ground water quality and



beneficial uses may be only suspected or poorly understood and ill-



defined.  Under these circumstances,  research efforts can be conducted



on a limited scale into the nature and extent of water pollution impacts,



with emphasis on developing information needed to design effective controls.



           I and A must show WQM personnel whether water pollutant



contributions from a suspected source (s) interferes with achievement of



water quality goals. For example, a University of Missouri study team



suspected the occurrence of high concentrations of trace metals along both



active and inactive vehicular transport routes. These routes were used



to haul lead sulfide concentrate in open trucks from lead mine/mill complexes



to smelters in southeastern Missouri. The study team later concluded



that  "the transportation of lead ore can contribute very markedly to the

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                                  2-5


contamination of the environment and measures should be taken to reduce
                                          II
this source of contamination to a minimum. "~

          A matrix cross index classification approach frequently has

been used to make distinctions in mine-related source impact potential.

Under this system basic mine source subcategories can be further

subdivided to reflect variations in specific site conditions and character-

istics known to be closely associated with pollution hazard and risk

potential. These include chemical properties of geologic strata,  percent

slope, type and degree of revegetation, proximity to receiving stream,

relation to ground water recharge zones, etc.

          Appropriate consideration should be given to the practical

problems of source identification and class distinction.  The  numbers

and locations of sources in some classes which are particularly difficult

to locate and distinguish could be estimated, unless judged to be of

extreme  individual importance to the WQM effort.  This could be true

especially of abandoned deep mines, where records of portal locations

and extent of workings do not exist.


    2.2.2 Revision of Water Quality Standards

          WQM agencies in every State are responsible for evaluating

and revising  Water Quality Standards every three years. EPA's "Quality

Criteria for Water" (EPA-440/9-76-023)has been made available to the

States for guidance in developing their. Water Quality Standards. They

should incorporate all mine-related pollutants to protect beneficial water


I/ Wixson, Bobby G., Jennett,  Charles J., et.al.  "An Interdisciplinary
   Investigation of Environmental Pollution by Lead and Other Heavy Metals
   from Industrial Development in the New Lead Belt of Southeastern Missouri. "
   p.  357, Volume I.  Interim Report for the Period May 1972 to June 1974.
   University of Missouri.   June 1974.

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                                   2-6


uses from mine-related pollutant impacts. As protected uses, each drainage

segment may include water supply, propagation of fish,  shellfish and wildlife,

water recc ation and agricultural, industrial and other specific use categories.

Revised water quality standards could include stochastic criteria for runoff-

related nonpoint source contributions, development of high flow criteria,

seasonally variable standards,  and biological standards, including bioassay

criteria.

           The standards established should take into account stream biology

and sensitivity of aquatic life, benthic deposit transport  and resuspension

impacts,  and additive or synergistic and cumulative pollutant impacts,

as well as locally critical design flow conditions. Critical design conditions

should represent flow conditions of greatest potential stress to fish, shellfish

and other aquatic life; the traditionally used low flow/high temperature

conditions may not represent the design state of greatest stress, particularly

from runoff-related nonpoint  sources. As an example, stream sampling

during rainstorms  on streams affected by lead mining and milling in south-

eastern Missouri showed that peak concentrations of lead, cadmium, zinc

and copper occurred during the peak runoff period. This implied that

large masses of mine-related pollutants were being carried in runoff
                     2/
during heavy storms.    Where instantaneous in-stream  pollutant levels

may not be objectionable, cummulative effects on aquatic life may  justify

efforts to prevent or control even low-level pollutant contributions. Most

of the commonly monitored pollutants associated with mining, milling,

and processing of domesticly produced mineral commodities were  listed

earlier in Chapter  1. 0, Section 1. 2.



2/ Ibid. p. 231

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                                   2-7


    2.2.3 Segment Identification

           Data pertaining to identified effluent limited and water quality

limited drainage segments should be obtained from the larger water

quality data base referred to earlier in Figure 2.1.  Any total nonpoint

source load estimates and mine-related point source load estimates

already available should be used.  Areas of mine-related point and

nonpoint source water pollution impact, indicated from segment classi-

fication data,  can be used in mine-related source identification,  location

and impact description efforts.  Where general segment classification

data is not already available, water quality  limited and effluent limited

segments can be identified in connection with subsequent mine-related

source location and description, existing water quality data interpretation

and water quality and beneficial use impact  estimation efforts.


    2.2.4 Location and Description of Potentially Contributing
            Mine-Related Sources

            Idlentification Methodology

            The method chosen for identifying mine-related pollution

sources through location  and description must be appropriately suited to:

            1.  The  numbers  and diversity of contributing mine-related

                sources;

            2.   The approach and level of detail selected for assessment

                analysis;

            3.   The availability and format  of existing mine-related

                source location and description data;

            4.   The characteristics and the distinguishing features of

                each mine -related source subcategory which is to be

                recognized and described;

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                                   2-8
            5.  The physical distribution of various mine-related sources
               within a given planning area,  as well as the overall
               area size;
            6.  The availability of various means of data acquisition suited
               to local requirements for mine-related source location
               and description,  and the practicability of various means of
               transforming and manipulating existing data; and
            7.  The availability and completeness of State regulatory
               records,  Federal NPDES permit information,  local county
               records,  Federal lands mining data, and other mine-related
               source information within the planning jurisdiction.

            The U. S. Bureau of Mines and Soil Conservation Service publish
information gathered from State  agencies and local groups on the number
of inactive and abandoned underground mines and acreages of land disturbed
by surface mining in each State,  and the acreage of land utilized by the
mining industry for extraction  and waste disposal by mineral commodity
and State.
            Some of the various information sources which can be  used for
mine-related source location and description are:
            1.   Existing general and special purpose maps, including
               Economic Geology maps published by State Geological
               Surveys, U. S.  Geological Survey maps, State and
               regional land use maps,  and industrial mine-related
               operations maps;

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                                  2-9





           2.  Regulatory mineral extraction and mineral waste disposal



              permit system records,  including Federal Land Management



              Agency,  NPDES, State, and local sources;



           3.  Mine location data from public  safety and occupational



              health and safety programs at the Federal and State levels;



           4.  County and local municipality information;



           5.  Previously conducted special purpose mining inventory studies;



           6.  Mineral activity directories and tabulations;



           7.  Aerial photography and other forms of remote sensor data



              from which mining information can be interpreted; and



           8.  Onsite ground observation and low altitude aerial reconaissance.





WQM agencies should be careful in their use of large volumes of variably



formatted mining and minerals data for locating mine sources, as such



approaches can become bogged down in time-consuming data manipulation



operations.  A fresh, new mine  inventory effort, based upon a single



uniform data source with just the detail of information required,  may



deliver better  survey results.



           Numerous surveys and studies have been conducted which show



the types and numbers of potentially contributing mine-related pollution



sources within various regions of the country.  The following EPA publications



contain numerous citations of such studies and surveys:



           1.  "Processes,  Procedures  and Methods to Control Pollution



              from Mining Activities, "  EPA-430/9-73-01L



           2.   "Criteria for Developing Pollution Abatement Programs for



               Inactive and  Abandoned Mine Sites, "  EPA-440/9-75-008.



           3.   "Inactive and Abandoned Underground Mines, " EPA-440/9-75-007.

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                                   2-10





           4.  "Methods for Identifying and Evaluating the Nature and



               Extent of Nonpoint Sources of Pollutants, " EPA-430/9-73-014.



           5.  "Water Pollution Caused by Inactive Ore and Mineral Mines,



               A National Assessment, "  EPA-600/2 -76-298.






           A general overview of mine-related water pollution problems is



presented in  "Water Pollution From Mining Activities in the United States",



which was published in June of 1970 by EPA's predecessor agency, the



Federal Water  Pollution Control Administration.



           EPA has also published a series of studies dealing with definition



of ground water pollution, including that caused by mine-related sources,



within several major geographic regions of the United States.  These  are:



           1.  "Ground Water  Contamination in the Northeast States, "



               EPA-660/2-74-056.



           2.  "Ground  Water Pollution in the South Central States, "



               EPA-R2-73-268.



           3.  "Ground  Water Pollution in Arizona, California,  Nevada



               and Utah," EPA-16060ERU12/71.



           4.  "Ground  Water Pollution Problems in the Northwestern



               United States, " EPA-660/3-75-018.





           Utilization of Remote^ensor Data



           This country's largest aerial  photographic and remote sensor



data distribution center is the EROS Data Center operated by the U.S.



Department of Interior,  Geological Survey in Sioux Falls.  South Dakota.



 Most of the aerial photography and imagery (including Skylab and LandSat



data) acquired by the various Federal government agencies is catalogued

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                                  2-11

or held by the EROS facility.  The mailing addresses of several Federal

agencies that maintain aerial photographic data storage, processing, and

supply'facilities are given below:

           1.   User Services
               EROS Data Center
               Sioux FaUs, South Dakota  57198

           2.  Aerial Photography Field Office
               Agricultural Stabilization and Conservation Service
               U S. Department of Agriculture
               2222 West 2300 South
               P. O.  Box 30010
               Salt Lake City, Utah  84125

           3.  Soil Conservation Service
               U. S. Department of Agriculture
               Room 5118 South Building
               Washington, D. C   20250

           4.  Forest Service
               U. S. Department of Agriculture
               Room 1201 S RPE
               P. O.  Box 2417
               Washington, D. C.  20013

           5.  National Ocean Survey
               Room 526 - Building #1
               U. S. Department of Commerce
               6001 Executive  Boulevard
               Rockville, Maryland  20852

           Remote sensor  data may be  used to locate various mine-related

sources  (i. e., mineral extraction sites,  mineral waste disposal areas,

access and haul roads, etc. ) at the level of interpretive detail consistent

with the  information requirements of the selected assessment analysis

approach.  The presence of mine-related sources may simply be recognized,

or sources may be more carefully identified and delineated. Source area

conditions may be described, and pollution hazards and impacts analyzed

through associated field studies.

           Manual remote  sensor data interpretation techniques are likely

to deliver the most practical results when pollution hazard analysis is

to be performed concurrently with simple mine source identification.

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                                   2-12
Computer-assisted interpretive techniques may be useful for development
of generalized land cover/land use information and for specific identification
and general description of sources when mine targets are sufficiently large
and contrast with their surroundings in the spectral region(s) represented.
Pollution hazard analysis may be performed using automated techniques
if the prequisite topographic, hydrologic,  geologic and climatic data has
been digitized, and a suitable interactive geocoded data manipulation system
and multi-variate  pollution hazard analysis model exists. Scale,  vintage
(year acquired) and format of aerial photography or imagery for  mine
source location must match with similar characteristics of other forms
of data with which mine source information is to interact during  assessment
analysis.  Other data forms  may include underground mine location maps,
topographic maps, geologic maps, surface water drainage maps, ground
water hydrology maps, mine permit records,  etc.
            Remote sensing information is well suited to multiple category
rural land  use classification.  This system estimates pollution load contri-
butions by  the number of acres within each land use class which  contributes
to pollution loads in each drainage segment.  This method of analysis
integrates  the mine-related source  assessment effort with construction,
silviculture, agriculture,  and other pollution source categories.

    2.2.5  Interpretation of  Existing Water Quality Data
            Maximum use  should be made  of existing water quality data to
describe the present extent and severity of mine-related water pollution.
New data may be needed to correct  serious limitations and deficiencies in
existing data; but to the extent feasible, emphasis in new data acquisition
should be placed on improved monitoring in support of ongoing regulatory
and abatement programs,  rather than on monitoring as a part of problem
assessment studies.

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                                   2-13





           Section 5.3.2 of the EPA publication "Methods for Identifying



and Evaluating the Nature and Extent of Nonpoint Sources of Pollutants",



discusses empirical aids for interpretation of routinely acquired data used



to monitor water quality for mine-related pollution information.  One of



the principal drawbacks to using standard water quality data is the variability



of the combinations of storm events and base flow conditions often represented



in the pollutant concentration data.  Frequent lack of matching flow information



is yet another common limitation to existing data.



           Use of existing water quality monitoring data to  define the



extent of mine-related pollution represents a stream-to-source approach.



It can be used at the basin or sub-basin level in those instances involving



conservative pollutants where background loads can be accurately estimated



and where  sufficient in-stream water quality data are available. Pollutant



load estimates are prepared using this stream-to-source approach based



upon the difference between total loads (observed) and background loads



(estimated).  This approach can be used when the actual numbers and



locations of mine sources have not been identified, or when  too few mine



sources exist to permit use of loading functions.



           Existing ground water quality data and information on surface



water/ground water relationships should be used to provide  an initial grasp



of mine-related ground water pollution impacts.   The quantity and the accuracy



of existing data dealing with ground water may frequently be less than that



available  for surface water because ground water data are more difficult



to obtain and to interpret.  Useful information about ground water quality



monitoring and mine-related impacts is included in these recent EPA



publications:  "Rationale and Methodology for Monitoring Ground Water



Polluted by Mining Activities, " EPA-680/4-84-003, July 1974; and "Monitoring



Ground Water Quality:  Monitoring Methodology, " EPA-600/4-76-026,  June 1976,

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                                   2-14

    2.2.6  Assessment of Existing Source Impacts
           Assessment of mine-related source impacts must be accomplished
using both biological and chemical information.  Even when gathering of new
aquatic biological information is not a part of the assessment effort, the
effects of various pollutant concentrations on aquatic life must be known or
estimated to define impacts on the water quality goal ("water quality that
provides for the protection and propagation of fish, shellfish, and wildlife . .
etc. ).
           Alternative Approaches
           The best method for  I and A of existing mine-related water
pollution contributions will depend upon the extent,  diversity, and distri-
bution of mine-related sources.  The methodology used for I and A will
also be influenced by the present availability of mine-related pollution data
arid by the presence of especially hazardous  or toxic contributions from
particular mine source subcategories.
           Identification and assessment may be accomplished  either by:
           1.   Description of the relative hazards and impacts on
               beneficial water uses (largely in other than quantitative
               terms) created by various mine-related pollution sources;
               oc by
           2.  Quantitative description of pollutant loadings,  transport,
               resultant concentrations and impacts through use of loading
               models, transport models, water quality impact models,
               and beneficial use impact estimation methods.
           Quantitative description of impacts assumes that quantitative
information is essential to WQM program requirements, that adequate data
can be obtained,  and that models and analytical procedures have been identified

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                                    2-15





which will yield reliable results under the conditions prevailing within



a given planning jurisdiction.



           A.  Quantitative Impact Description



                Existing mine-related pollutant loads and load impacts



may be determined either by quantitative description or by description



of relative pollutant hazards and effects on beneficial uses.  This section



discusses the quantitative approach.



                EPA's "Areawide Assessment Procedures Manual, " EPA-



600/0-76-014, describes the currently available alternatives for pollutant



load modeling.  These include empirical methods, deterministic methods,



stochastic methods, and simulation methods.  Empirical methods, such



as the  Universal Soil Loss Equation, the Modified Musgrave Equation,



and various loading functions represent the most easily applied methods.



However, application  of any of the empirical methods requires local



calibration and testing or verification.  Quantitative assessment is also



not complete until the  loading model outputs have been input to suitable



pollutant transport and water quality impact models.  Instream water



quality impact models must include procedures to accept loadings



data from loadings and transport models,  and must deal with instream



water  pollutant reactions,  transformations, and interactions.



                Most  quantitative loadings estimation and water quality



impact modeling procedures deal with broadly generalized instream con-



centrations in large watersheds rather than with  specific temporally



varying near-site effects upon receiving water quality and aquatic life.



Only the most extensive and the most pervasive forms of mine-related



pollution usually eminating from hundreds or even from thousands of



individual contributing sources can be identified and assessed using very

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                                   2-16





generalized methods.  A current or abandoned mine-related source or



source subcategory which may be contributing only a minute proportion of



the total load within a given major watershed,  may, at the same time,



be responsible for devastating impacts on aquatic life within a few small



stream tributaries or short drainage segments located within that watershed



            Estimation of mine-related sediment loads may be attempted



using the Universal Soil Loss Equation (USLE).  Sediment loads may be



estimated to a limited extent for individual mine-related sources and



storm events, but procedures are best developed for estimating annual



average values from large numbers of sources in aggregrate.  Both



general average and specific source estimates of sediment loadings from



mine-related sources can be unreliable,  in part because of uncertainty



in the sediment delivery ratio.  The Universal Soil Loss Equation (USLE),



developed primarily for application to croplands east of the Rockies,



may be applied to mine-related sources only when coefficients have been



empirically derived to reflect local source conditions.



           Some  of the specific sub-tasks for which quantitative mine-related



pollutant load information may be used as a part of an assessment effort



include:



            1.  Description of existing  receiving water quality conditions



              with consideration of pollutant inputs from all point and



               nonpoint source categories;



            2.  Description of point and nonpoint mine-related source impacts



                on receiving water quality at both high and low flow design



                states;



            3.  Comparison of mine-related pollutant impacts with other



                category pollutant impacts; and

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                                   2-17





           4.  Comparison of the impacts of various mine-related source



                subcategories with one another.



           The present state-of-the-art may not permit reliable results



to be obtained from the input of quantitative mine-related pollutant loadings



data into mass balance water quality impact models.  Stream segment



models,  estuary models, impoundment models,  and stormwater analysis



models have very limited or no capability to deal with nonsteady state,



variable  flow, variable pollutant input conditions characteristic of inter-



mittant point sources, and runoff-related nonpoint sources.   Nonpoint sources



are particularly variable,  and methods of quantitatively estimating loadings



of sediment,  acid, heavy metals, and other pollutants are crude at best.



           Modeling is recommended only within carefully chosen



watersheds where available mine-related pollution load input data and



analytical procedures are judged adequate to yield realistic  results.



           Even though mine-related source modeling presently offers only



limited opportunity for application, the predictive power of models for des-



cribing in-stream conditions under critical flow stages makes them a very



useful  WQM tool.  Efforts  to develop adequate models for future use  should



be encouraged.



           Modeling offers many advantages for predicting  the results



of different abatement or control strategies, or  for identifying  conditions



which might produce  violations  of water quality goals. Efforts to  develop



reliable models to support the continuing WQM process deserve support,



even though modeling often may not be used in the initial WQM  program



work.  Estimates of impacts from abandoned sources are better suited  to



the  modeling approach than are  estimates of current source impacts.



Active strip mine pollutant loads and haul road loads contributed during

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                                   2-18





active operations are examples of particularly dynamic sources which can



change rapidly.  Abandoned mine sources are good examples of sources



whose contributions may decay slowly over a period of many years and



may be more easily modeled.



           At least three general options can readily be identified for



estimating pollutant loadings during existing source identification and



assessment.  These include the loading function approach, the representive



sampling approach and the site specific analysis  approach.



                1.  Loading Function Approach - The loading function



approach is most appropriate when numerous and extensive mine-related



sources  exist within a very small number of subcategories (low source



diversity). This approach normally is applied at the basin or major



sub-basin watershed level.  The number of contributing sources in each



mine-related subcategory must be estimated.  Loading functions represent



a source-to-stream approach which is applicable only where sufficient



prior research and water pollution  data for the same or similar watershed



areas are available.



                   Use of generalized loading functions for  estimating mine-



related pollution contributions is explained in the EPA publication, "Loading



Functions for Assessment of Water Pollution from Nonpoint  Sources, " EPA-



600/2-76-151,  May 1976.   Loading functions for estimation of sediment,




acid  mine drainage, heavy metals and radioactivity from mine-related



sources are presented and discussed.



                   Generalized estimates of surface and underground coal



mine pollution loads were developed and presented in EPA's "National



Assessment of Water Pollution from Nonpoint Sources, " October  1975.



This study contains estimates of the numbers of surface and deep active and

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                                   2-19


abandoned coal mines by major and minor basins across the United States.

It also includes numerical estimates of sediment loadings in tons per day

and acid mine drainage loadings in pounds CaCO  equivalent per day.
                                              3
               2.  Representative Sampling Approach -  The representative

sampling approach will be found to apply more often than any other general

method.  This approach represents a "middle ground" between loading

functions and site specific analysis.   It applies where there are not enough

mine-related sources in any one subcategory to permit realistic use  of

loading functions, but where sources are  still too numerous to permit

site specific analyses.

                   The representative sampling approach requires

subcategorization of existing mine-related sources to reflect similarities

in pollutants and  pollution delivery potential.  A very limited number of

sample sites are  selected from the mine source population  within each

subcategory or from the population of stream segments or watersheds

influenced by contributions from each subcategory.   Chemical and/or

aquatic biological information may be acquired at each representative

sampling site.  Most specific mine sources are individually located,  but

the number  of sources in  particularly difficult to locate subcategories

(i.e.,  abandoned  deep mine discharges, etc. ) may be estimated from

existing data or limited sampling.

                   Where representative watersheds impacted by

mine-related contributions are selected for sampling, samples should

be taken proportional to the hydrograph flow pattern to provide an  estimate

of peak pollutant  concentrations and total loadings for each  pollutant.

                   Water quality  data which has been selectively acquired

from specific mine-related sources  or  watersheds to be representative  of

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                                   2-20






pollutant loads contributed by other similar sources or of watersheds



impacted by other similar source assemblages may be used to estimate



contributions from unmeasured sources or impacts on unmeasured



watersheds.  Relative pollutant delivery or impact potential, within



different subcategories can be comparatively ranked. Estimates of



mine-related source loads and impacts can be compared with the



estimated pollutant contributions and impacts from sources within other



categories (agriculture, etc. )  Once loads from various mine-related



source subcategories have been estimated, limited storm event discharge



and runoff sampling can be used to validate estimated loads and relative



magnitudes of pollutant contributions.



                3. Site Specific Analysis Approach - Site specific analysis



may be used as the principal method for existing source identification and




assessment in  those cases where relatively few  sources are present within



a very limited  number of source subcategories (low source diversity).  This



method may be especially appropriate for assessing the impacts of particu-



larly hazardous or toxic pollutants.  Normally site specific analysis involves



chemical water quality monitoring for loading and  transport model cali-



bration and verification,  aquatic biological data  collection, and  loadings,



transport,  and in-stream pollutant load impact modeling.  Water quality



monitoring involving large numbers of individual sources should normally




be avoided.  Monitoring efforts of this kind are more likely to be



appropriate as a part of advanced implementation efforts (such as in



watershed engineering feasibility studies conducted under  abandoned mine



pollution abatement programs) than as a part of  the initial WQM program



effort.

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                                   2-21





                   Under circumstances involving large numbers of abandoned



mine sources,  monitoring normally should be directed toward description



of a relatively  small number of the most severe contributing sources.





           B.  Relative Water Quality and Beneficial Use Impact Description



                This  approach to assessment involves comparing the impact



potential of various mine-related source contributions with one another,



and with the impacts of contributions from sources in other  categories.



                Relative pollution hazard description is based on an



understanding of the interrelationships among mine-related  pollution sources,



pollutant delivery mechanisms, and receiving water  and aquatic life



characteristics.



                Biological information is required to determine mine-related



pollutant impacts on beneficial water uses.  Limited quantitative water quality



data (chemical) can be used in conjunction with  biological observations to



support judgements of the  degree of impact pollutants from various mine



source subcategories have on aquatic life.  Biological information frequently



may be  more useful for defining  pollution problems than chemical water



quality data; this is so because biological data relates directly to beneficial



use impact, while water quality data,  once gathered, must still be further



analyzed and interpreted for its beneficial use implications.



                Aquatic community diversity indexes have been used to



advantage to measure impacts of mine-related pollutants on aquatic  life.



More exhaustive and  sophisticated bioassay work such as the study of



pollutant accumulations in plant cells and animal tissues probably should



not b? undertaken by WQM agencies except where more general information



has identified specific problems  requiring in-depth examination and  where

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                                   2-22


the results may have some bearing on revision of Water Quality Standards

and/or on the choice of appropriate preventative and control practices.

Aquatic life forms most often sampled in past studies have included

insects,  fish, crustaceans, diatoms, algae, and bacteria.   The health

and survival of many non-aquatic life forms,  such as beaver,  waterfowl,

etc.,  are also closely linked to water and water quality as habitat require-

ments, but examinations of mine-related water quality and hydrologic

impacts on habitats  of these animals have rarely been attempted.

                Figure 2. 2 illustrates the results which were obtained by
           II
Ryck  (1973 r using Wilhm's benthic community diversity index to guage the

impact on aquatic life of pollutant contributions from lead mine-mill

complexes in the streams of southeastern Missouri.  All streams receiving

pollutant contributions from lead mine-mill complexes showed lower diversity

index values (below  4) after mining was  started, while all control receiving

streams  were found  to have higher indexes (greater than 4) prior to the

initiation of mining operations.   In this example, both the total number and

the types of benthic  organisms in receiving streams declined once mining

began.

                Once the type and relative magnitude of the pollution problem

is understood, mine -related source identification information provides a

sound grasp of how widespread  or pervasive the problem may be in relation

to other point and nonpoint source problems.

                An analysis of relative hazards presented by pollutant

contributions from various mine-related sources should be adequate to:
I/ Ryck, F  J. Jr. "Water Quality Survey of the Southeast Osark Mining
   Area, 1965-71. "  Interim  Report,  State of Missouri.  Project Study W-2
   No. 1.  1973.

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ID
X
UJ
O
z
55
DC
UJ


5
              FIGURE 2.2 - DIVERSITY INDEX VALUES UPSTREAM AND DOWNSTREAM FROM

                         A TYPICAL ZINC MINE-MILL COMPLEX [AFTER RYCKll973)J.
     7




     6
4




3
                                  MINIMUM VALUE FOR UNPOLLUTED
                                             OZARK STREAMS
                                                                                                      ro
                         DOWNSTREAM FROM DISCHARGES AND RUNOFF CONTRIBUTIONS
     1965
             1966
1967
1968
1969
1970
1971
1972

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                                   2-24





                1.  Separate relative magnitudes of pollutant contributions



                   from abandoned versus current mine-related sources;



                2.  Separate relative magnitudes of pollutant contributions



                   from easily controlled sources versus very difficult



                   and expensively controlled or abated sources;



                3.  Provide a  realistic comparison of the adverse impacts



                   of mine-related pollutant contributions with the effects



                   of contributions from other water pollution source



                   categories;



                4.  Contribute to identification of the specific  receiving



                   waters segments,  recharge zones, etc., most severely



                   impacted by mine-related pollutants;



                5.  Provide a  basis for sound judgement of the relative



                   importance of mine -related pollutant impacts within



                   the framework of the larger WQM effort; and



                6.  Identify the most productive direction and  focus for



                   further mine-related WQM effort.





                Mine-related  source characteristics within each subcategory



should be described in  relation to their exemplification of relative pollution



hazards.  Quantitative  load estimation procedures such  as the empirical



Universal Soil Loss Equation (USLE),  which may not yield very  accurate



absolute pollution load  estimates, may nevertheless aid in understanding



how pollution potential  may vary with specific changes in mine-related



sources and local climatic conditions.



                Mine -related  source characteristics which may be important



for definition of relative pollution potential include:

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                                   2-25





                1.  Type of mineral commodity involved;



                2.  Type of mineral industrial operation, and method of



                   operation used;



                3.  Age and activity status of the mine-related operation;



                4.  Preventive water pollution control measures previously



                   applied or presently being applied during the operation;



                5.  Topographic situation of the mine-related source;



                6.  Internal relief and hydrologic interaction of mine sources



                   with surrounding surface drainage and ground water;



                7.  Mine source surface  runoff and water infiltration properties;



                8.  Affected area surface cover characteristics, especially



                   vegetation;



                9.  Physical interactions  of deep mine workings with any



                   existing oil,  gas, or  water wells, and with the surrounding



                   ground water;



               10.  Opportunities for chemical weathering of minerals exposed



                   in underground workings and for transport of soluble products;



               11.  Geochemical composition and physical properties of the



                   associated geologic and soils materials;



               12.  Geologic structure, faults, joints, etc., and arrangement



                   of mineral strata in relation to site hydrology; and



               13.  Drainage  density and proximity of mine-related sources



                   to receiving  waters.





                Climatic and  hydrologic parameters closely associated with



pollutant delivery mechanisms to receiving waters include:



                1.  Amount and timing of rainfall and snowfall;

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                                  2-26





                2.  Time variation of temperature;



                3.  Time variation of rainfall energy/intensity and the



                   erosion index;



                4.  Growing season duration and timing of associated



                   phenological plant responses;



                5.  Time variation of wind speed and direction;



                6.  Location and characteristics of ground water aquifer



                   recharge  zones;



                7.  Ground water depth,  strata permeability,  and



                   hydrologic flow  characteristics; and



                8.  Time variation and quantities of runoff in the



                   vicinity of the mine source.





                Climate, and especially rainfall, is often the single most



important driving force in producing nonpoint source pollution.  One of



the most important characteristics in determining rainfall's potential as



an erosion and sediment transport mechanism is the energy-intensity (El)



of any given storm  or the rainfall-erosivity index (R) which represents



the annual sum of all individual storm El values at a given location.



                Figure 2. 3 compares the monthly rainfall erosion index



occuring during the average year at three locations in the United States.



The three areas are the Florida panhandle,  eastern  Kentucky,  and



western North Dakota.  The mean annual precipitation in the  Florida area



is 55 inches to 60 inches per year; in the Kentucky area, 45 inches to 48  •



inches per year; and  in the North Dakota  area,  12 inches to 16 inches per



year.

-------
FIGURE 2.3 - COMPARISON OF MONTHLY EROSION INDEX OR ENERGY-INTENSITY
           WJAMFALLJMJHNGJM A\^ERAJJEJEARJN EASTERN KENTUCKY,
           THE WESTERN FLORIDA PANHANDLE AND WESTERN NORTH DAKOTA^
                                                                                           ro
                                                                                           i
                                                                                           ro
                                                             FLORIDA PANHANDLE


                                                             EASTERN KENTUCKY

                                                             WESTERN NORTH DAKOTA
      I/ AFTER "PREDICTING RAINFALL-EROSION LOSSES FROM CROPLAND EAST OF
        THE ROCKY MOUNTAINS", AGRICULTURE HANDBOOK NO. 282, ARS-USDA. MAY 1965.

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                                  2-28





                In eastern Kentucky, the highest monthly erosion index



of rainfall occurs during a six week period in July and August.  This



same erosion index level is reached or exceeded in the western Florida



panhandle in the six months between May and October.  The highest monthly



erosion index value which occurs in August in North Dakota is reached or



exceeded all year long in the Florida area, except during a one month



period in November/December.  The highest monthly erosion index value



in the Florida panhandle is six times larger  than the highest value reached



during the year in North Dakota,  and more than twice the highest monthly



value reached in eastern Kentucky.  Snowmelt runoff may present a sub-



stantial potential for causing erosion especially in some of the semi-arid



regions of the country.  The effects of snow  melt runoff may  partially



offset the effects of lower rainfall-induced erosion in some areas.



                Rainfall information is available from the U.S. Department



of Commerce National Weather Service (formerly the U.S. Weather Bureau),



both in the form of raw precipitation data and in the form of analytical data



about storm frequencies and durations at weather stations across the country.



                Important descriptive characteristics of receiving surface



waters and ground water include:



                1.  Diversity and composition of aquatic plant and animal



                   life, and susceptibility to being impacted adversely



                   by mine-related pollutants and hydrologic modifications;



                2.  Premining surface water and ground water quality and uses;



                3.  Recreational water use demands and their timing;



                4.  Time variability of water flow volume;



                5.  In-stream water quality;

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                                  2-29

                6.  Background water quality characteristics;
                7.  Bedload, benthic deposit; and bank characteristics;
                8.  Point source loads and flows;
                9.  General variation of water regimen with timing of
                   individual storm events;
               10.  Water pollutant load contributions from  other source
                   categories (construction, agriculture, etc. );
               11.  Chemical composition of precipitation; -aid
               12,  Interrelationships among runoff, infiltration, ground
                   water levels,  flow, recharge and discharge and
                   surface water flow (hydrologic balance).

                Other aids to an analysis of the interrelationships among
water pollutant contributions and their impacts  (sources, transfer mechanisms,
receiving waters) can be found in reservoir and catch basin sediment studies,
new or previously documented biological impact and aquatic surveys, and
recorded citizen complaints concerning adverse mine-related water quality
impacts on recreation, aquatic life and other beneficial uses.

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                             CHAPTER 3. 0



                        CURRENT SOURCE CONTROL







3.1 Introduction



    Current mine-related sources of surface water and ground water



pollution include all point and nonpoint sources associated with all active



mineral industrial operations and with all inactive operations controlled



by Federal, State,  or local regulations.



    State WQM agencies (in some cases, areawide agencies) are responsible



for seeing to it that control systems for current mine -related sources are



developed and implemented which are sufficiently effective on-the-ground



to achieve water quality goals and to protect designated beneficial water uses.



    WQM agencies can work toward improved control of current sources



by initially working together with existing mine-related regulatory authorities



and with representatives of the mine-related industries.   Point source water



pollution control authorities (Federal or State) exist in every State; these



authorities principally regulate under NPDES mine dewatering and process



waste water discharges from mineral extraction and mineral processing



and milling operations.  Control of mine-related nonpoint sources in any



phase of mineral industrial operations must be accomplished through use



of Best Management Practices (BMP's).  A regulatory process must be



established within the framework of each mine-related control system



which either specifies,  or is effective in identifying BMP's appropriate to



each mine-related  nonpoint pollution source. The control system process



must also assure that those preventive measures and control practices



which are identified are.  in fact,  utilized and that water quality goals are



achieved and beneficial uses protected.   Translating general control

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                                   3-2





principles into specific practices within a regulatory control system



framework is discussed further in Chapter 4. 0.



    WQM agencies should carefully examine existing control systems in



an attempt to answer the following basic questions:



    1.  Are all sources  controlled ?



          Are all contributing mine-related sources of surface water and



          ground water  pollution which are understood to threaten



          achievement of water quality goals subject to control under



          any existing system(s)?



    2. Are controls effective ?



          How effective  in controlling and preventing water pollution from



          mine-related  sources is any existing control system (s)?



    3. Are BMP's specified or identified?



          Are "Best Management Practices" appropriately specified or



          identified for preventing and controlling pollution from mine-



          related nonpoint sources ?



    4. Is legal authority adequate?



          Does adequate legal authority exist to assure proper identification



          and to require use of appropriate BMP's ?



    5.  Are controls technically adequate?



          Has that legal authority been translated into a technically



          adequate  regulatory process and/or into specific regulations



          which can achieve effective control?  (Effective control implies



          control sufficient to achieve water quality goals and protect



          beneficial water uses).



    6.  Aro organization,  support and enforcement adequate?



          Doos the control system provide adequate budgetary support,

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                                   3-3



           administrative support, institutional arrangements, manage-



           ment, coordination and enforcement to achieve effective control ?





3.2.  Overview of Mine-related Control Systems



      Existing mine-related control systems which have been established



by Federal, State and local units of government often were designed to



.serve objectives other than or in addition to water pollution control. Some



of these other objectives are aesthetics, rights of adjacent and affected



land owners, maintenance of land productivity, protection of terrestrial



ecological values, prevention of subsidence, public and occupational safety



and health,  collection of severance taxes,  proper recording and transfer



of mineral rights and payment of royalties, and reclamation, and postmining



land use.   Reclamation is consistent,  but not synonomous,  with water



pollution control. Reclamation more directly serves the goal of returning



previously mined lands to productive use,  that it does the objective of pre-



venting and controlling  surface and ground water pollution during and



following mining.



      Existing mine-related laws  and  regulations may apply separately to



each phase and to each  aspect of mineral industrial activity or they may



apply to all or to varied groupings of such activities.  Mine-related operations



are also sometimes regulated under broad control systems which encompass



sources in several categories.  For example,  an erosion and sediment



control law may be applicable to agricultural,  silvicultural, and construction



sources as well as to mine-related sources.  Some  of the mineral industrial



subcategories which may be regulated under existing control authorities



include surface mining, open pit mining,  deep mining,  oil and gas production,



coal mining, metallics mining, nonmetallics mining, mineral waste disposal,



mineral storage operations, mineral transport operations, mineral milling




and processing operations,  etc.

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                                   3-4





    Each mine -related control system  (or BMP identification and use



 enforcement process) which serves nonpoint source water pollution control



 objectives achieves its own peculiar balance between mine-related law,



 regulations, field practice guidelines,  specific permit stipulations, and



 requirements identified through field inspections.  While legislative bodies



 may enact generalized laws for preventing and controlling water pollution,



 they usually authorize a management agency to establish more detailed rules



 and control regulations.  When developing rules  and regulations, designated



 management agencies may still not define the  small details of mine -related



 practices and require their use across-the-board. More often these agencies



 rely upon a pre-operations planning and regulatory permit process to identify



 specific preventive measures and control practices or BMP's to be applied



 to each mineral industrial operation. This approach is likely to be effective



 however, only where sufficient numbers of well-qualified technical personnel



 are employed in the regulatory permitting program to thoroughly review each



 permit application to identify appropriate and effective preventive measures



 and control practices for  each site, and/or to  check the appropriateness and



 effectiveness of those proposed by the operator.   Adequate site specific physical



 and biological data must also either be supplied by the operator with each permit



 application or be collected by the regulatory agency to support a meaningful



 site specific control needs and BMP identification process. Use of these



 specific BMP controls can then be  required by making conformance to the



 details of the approved mine -related operations plan (reclamation plan,



drainage control plan, etc. ) a mandatory part  of permit compliance.  Authority



 should also allow the regulatory authority to identify and require  compliance



with additional or  modified preventive measures and control practices arising



from on-site inspections and evaluations conducted during the course of the



 operation.   Management agencies  frequently provide mine operators and mine

-------
                                  3-5
inspectors with field guidance manuals that contain detailed descriptions
and specifications for desirable mining practices and control techniques
and methods.  While information in field manuals may not be mandatory,
it is intended primarily to aid the industry and mine  inspectors in designing
and judging the adequacy of controls installed at each operation.
      Some specific details of mine-related field practice which are generally
applicable and important for control at all sites may be included directly in
control law or be specifically required in rules and regulations.  For example,
gradient limitations for steep slope surface mining and for mine haul roads
in mountainous terrain are common examples of specifically regulated
details of field practice.
      Mine-related water quality control programs originally conceived for
control and prevention of some form of chemical pollution or toxic contamination
(such as surface discharges of acid mine drainage),  may require revision and
expansion to properly address all aspects of affected area erosion and sediment
control,  ground water contamination,  and hydrologic balance disruption.
      No mine-related regulatory control program will be 100 percent effective in
preventing and controlling all adverse water quality and hydrologic impacts.  The
effectiveness of control systems will vary with the specific makeup of the mineral
industry; the field conditions at mine-related operations sites; the adequacy of
laws, rules,  and regulations; the state of control technology; and the institutional,
administrative, financial,  and management aspects of the control system.
      The concept of "risk" may provide a useful perspective for designing
regulatory control systems.  Even when the  control system is oriented  toward
accomplishment ^of pollution control objectives, specific techniques and measures
applied by the industry, and/or the whole control system, may fail to achieve
intended objectives. Before changing  an existing control system or implementing
a new system,  WQM agencies should attempt to judge the percentage of full

-------
                                  3-6
effect!venesss achieved by the existing system or likely, to be achieved
by the new system.
      The WQM agency should estimate the failure rate that may be expected
from  steep fill slopes on mine haul roads, from dike walls  surrounding
mine  waste disposal areas, or other mine-related features, if they are
designed and built under current industrial practice.
      When a government agency permits mine -related operations with
controls that fail to achieve stated objectives for prevention and control
of adverse water quality impacts,  these  operations may generate unplanned
and unacceptably high levels of pollution.
      An effective and adequate  mine-related regulatory control system
is one which:
      1.  Includes a regulatory process designed to identify or specify
        and require use of BMP's to prevent and control water pollution
        from all contributing mine-related nonpoint sources;
      2. Specifically assigns control responsibility for postmining pollution
        and the terms of release  from that responsibility in such a way
        as to preclude any further growth in water pollution loadings and
        adverse beneficial use  impacts  from abandoned mine-related sources
      3. Regulates all contributing mine-related point sources, and all those
        nonpoint pollution sources which cause adverse water quality and
        beneficial water use impacts.   These may include contributing
        sources associated with all areas  affected by mineral exploration,
        mine development,  mineral extraction, including surface effects of
        deep mining,  mineral transport, mineral processing,  mineral
        storage,  and mineral waste disposal;
      4. Prevents and controls both surface water and ground water pollution,
        chemical pollution (mine  drainage), sedimentation, thermal pollution,

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                              3-7



    fugitive dust sources linked to water pollution and mine-related



    hydrologic disturbances which result in chemical pollution,



    sedimentation or damage to aquatic habitat;



 5. Incorporates an ongoing procedure for evaluation through chemical



    and biological monitoring of the effectiveness of the control



    system in achieving its stated control objectives related to



    water quality, water quality goals and beneficial water uses;



 6. includes a process for ongoing examination of new mine-related



    practices and control techniques and a requirement for prompt



    adoption of improved practices when they become sufficiently



    well developed for widespread application;



 7  Separates the mineral industrial promotion functions of government



    from the regulatory responsibilities of the  management agency



    to avoid conflicts of interest;



 8  Develops feedback mechanisms to continually redirect and focus



    mine -related pollution control research efforts on the most significant



    control problems;



 9. Does not preclude local zoning action following State or other



    governmental mine-related permit approval;



10.  Provides penalties sufficient to discourage intentional violations



    and makes mine operators responsible for  correcting adverse hydro-



    logic impacts, whether caused by willful violation or unforseen problems;



11.  Includes provision for designating areas unsuitable for mine-related



    operations or for denying individual permits if the uncontrollable or



    inadequately controllable water quality and hydrologic impacts outweigh



    mineral industrial, and other economic or  social gains;



12.  Incorporates a WQM process  to examine the effects of each mine-related




    operation in relation to existing sources, to future operations, and to

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                                  3-8





         other activities and contributions from all other source categories



         impacting water quality.  This process operates  as a part of



         the permit approval procedure for mine-related operations;



    13.  Assures regulatory agency control of mining methods insofar as



         those methods affect prevention and  control of surface  and ground



         water pollution and adverse hydrologic impacts.



     14.  Specifically assigns pollution control responsibility throughout



         any and all periods of inactivity; and



     15.  Specifically addresses final disposition and continuing maintenance



         of all roads, sediment basins,  and other structures remaining



         after mine-related operations are completed.





3. 3  Current Source WQM Tasks



      The essence of WQM program work involves an objective  evaluation



of on-the-ground effectiveness of existing control systems,  identification



of specific deficiencies and limitations in those systems,  and setting forth



definite plans  and schedules for improvements and implementation of more



effective controls.  Following is a  brief description of the major tasks



involved in carrying out a current source WQM work program:



WQM Task - Perform a preliminary examination of existing laws, regulations,



             and institutions applying to prevention and control  of surface



             water and ground water pollution from current mine-related



             sources.





             Examination of mine-related pollution control laws and institution



             across physiographic provinces or multi-state mining districts



             can help WQM agencies to compare regulatory controls in their



             individual States and jurisdictions with those in other areas.



            Examination of pollution controls and approaches being applied

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                                   3-9

             by other States with similar mineral industrial operations can
             point useful directions for control system improvement.
WQM Task - Select one or more of the institutions which are active in
             control programs to participate with the WQM agency in setting
             up and carrying out a  current source WQM work program.
WQM Task - Solicit involvement from State and Federal wildlife management
             organizations to insure that mine-related  WQM efforts are
             defined consistent with and supportive of wildlife management
             objectives, plans and  programs.
WQM Task - Evaluate the effectiveness of the existing mine-related
             regulatory control system(s) in prevention and  control of
             water pollution.  Control system components include existing
             laws,  rules and regulations, institutional arrangements, and
             administrative and management functions.
WQM Task - Analyze surface water and ground water hydrology of
             representative mine-related sources which correspond to
             previously identified pollution source subcategories.
             (An example mine site hydrologic examination  containing
             point and nonpoint source  descriptions is given in Appendix A )
WQM Task - Identify preventive measures and control  practices for prevention
             and control of identified surface water and ground water
             pollution sources.
             (Examination of mine-related industry actions with a view
             toward recognizing, preventing and controlling adverse
             impacts is discussed in Appendix B. )
WQM Task - Solicit involvement from the minerals industry in proposal
             of preventive  measures and control practices and in
             estimation of costs and readiness for practical application.

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                                   3-10





WQM Task - Classify proposed preventive measures and control practices



             on the basis of their readiness and suitability for practical



             application in the field.



WQM Task - Perform selective monitoring of current mine-related operations



             to support judgments of the need for and effectiveness of



             specific measures and practices.



WQM Task - Develop pollution control strategies for application to each



             identified current mine-related source subcategory.



WQM Task - Estimate the effectiveness of the various control methods,



             measures,  practices and strategies for prevention and control



             of current mine-related  pollution contributions.



WQM Task - Identify regulatory control system  deficiencies and technical



             control limitations.



                Deficiencies in the regulatory control system include all



                contributing pollution sources that  are presently un-



                regulated or inadequately regulated and  which interfere



                with achievement of water quality goals  and protection of



                beneficial uses.   Deficiencies also include those areas



                where existing authority is not sufficient to permit appli-



                cation of proposed control strategies.  Technical control



                of contributing pollution sources may be a limiting factor



                where control techniques do not exist, where they are not



                ready for practical application or where they are not



                sufficiently effective to achieve  adequate control.



                Emphasis in research to control mine-related pollution



                should be focussed on these technical control limitations.

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                                  3-11






WQM. Task - Formulate alternative subplans for control of current



             mine-related pollution sources in each recognized source



             subcategory.






                Discussion of Alternative Control Subplans



      Several control subplan alternatives can be described and used



as points of reference in the process of subplan selection.



      Three control system variations  that may serve as comparative



references include:  (1) the existing regulatory control  system; (2) a



technology performance limited system incorporating the best preventive



measures and control practices currently available; and (3) a fully effective



control system which introduces land use controls as  a  means to prevent



pollution from inadequately controllable and presently uncontrollable current



mine-related pollution sources.  Land  use  requirements represent a control



alternative which is applicable to new operations  and future expansion of



current operations.



      Description of the existing system should focus  on uncontrolled and



inadequately controlled surface water and ground water pollution which is



characteristic of operation of the present system.



      Description of a system which is  limited only by present  field



technology should focus on describing the improved control  over pollution



sources possible through  application of the best currently available preventive



measures and control practices, or BMP's. As a part of this system des-



cription, current pollution sources should be evaluated  to determine which



are technically controllable, and which are inadequately controllable through



application of BMP's.  Any analysis of the economic consequences to the



mining industry of applying BMP's and  complying with control system

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                                   3-12





provisions should be responsive to the specific concerns of those State.



and local institutions, mine-related industries,  and interest groups who



will be affected most directly by BMP application.  In the past, legis-



lative bodies engaged in drafting mine-related control laws have sometimes



specifically identified requirements, and in other cases have waived any



requirement,  for demonstration of economic feasibility of compliance



with regulatory provisions, control practices and preventive measures



(BMP's) which would be required  under the proposed  control system.



      Description of a fully effective control system should focus on



identification of land use requirements deemed necessary to prevent



mine-related pollution when point source controls and the best available



measures and practices will not be  adequate to assure achievement of



water quality goals and protection of beneficial water uses.  Achievement



of adequate control may prove to be unattainable not only because of the



technical limitations of treatment and BJMP application, but also because



of the performance limitations of regulatory control systems.



      The environmental assessments of alternative control  subplans



should focus on those few areas which are likely to exert the greatest



influence on subplan selection.  In most instances,  the water quality and



beneficial use protection implications, and the economic consequences of



subplan implementation, will be the key impact factors.



      Land use requirements may relate to:



      1.  Prohibition of specific mine-related industrial operations in critical



         or sensitive areas, often with periodic review requirements;



      2.  Designation of areas as fully, partially, or conditionally unsuitable



         for specific mine-related industrial operations,  often with periodic



         review requirements;

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                                  3-13





      3.  Individual mine-related operations permit denial procedures;



      4.  Local zoning requirements restricting mine-related land uses; and



      5.  Denial of mine-related point source discharge permits.



      Point source permit denial procedures may emerge from WQM agency



compliance with Section 208(b)(2)(C)(ii) of P. L. 92-500, which requires



that "Any [WQM] plan prepared under [a continuing water quality management



planning] process shall include the establishment of a regulatory program



to regulate the location, modification and construction of any facilities



within ...  [the State or areawide planning jurisdiction] which may result in



any discharge in such area. "



      Section 302(a) further states that "Whenever, in the judgement of the



[U. S.EPA] Administrator [or of a State NPDES permitting authority],



discharges of pollutants from a point source or group of point sources,



with the  application of effluent limitations required under Section 301(b){2)...,



would interfere with the attainment and maintenance of that water quality



in a specific portion of the navigable waters which shall assure protection



of public water supplies,  agricultural and industrial uses, and the pro-



tection and propagation of a balanced population of shellfish,  fish and wild-



life, and allow recreational activities in and on the water, effluent limitations



(including alternative effluent control strategies) for such point source or



sources  shall be established which can reasonably be expected to contribute



to the attainment and maintenance of such water quality, "



      Denial of permits for mine-related point source discharges or



establishment of effluent  discharge limitations more stringent than those



required under Section 301{b)(2) may be necessary when such discharges



and associated nonpoint source contributions are located on water quality



limited segments,  on existing high quality water segments or- especially on

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                                   3-14






high quality waters which constitute "an outstanding National resource, such



as waters of National and State parks and wildlife refuges and waters of



exceptional recreational or ecological significance" where according to



Subpart 130.17(e)(2) of U. S.  EPA Rules and Regulations "no degradation shall



be allowed".  WQM agencies should look especially to State and Federal



wildlife management organizations for assistance in identifying National



resource waters,  in determining the sensitivity of idigenous fauna to various



forms of water quality degradation and in recognizing potential impacts



on rare and endangered species.



      Where control systems involving application of point source effluent



limitations more stringent than those required under Section 301(b)(2) of



P. L.  92-500, use of the best available preventive measures and control



practices or application of such measures and practices together with



supplementary land use requirements are determined not to be practicable



(i.e.,  following any of these alternatives would result in substantial and



widespread adverse social and economic impact), at least one or more



compromise  control subplan alternatives will have  to be prepared. Any



such compromise  subplan must be judged sufficiently workable for the



responsible WQM  agency  to be confident of its implementation at the State



or local level.  The subplan description should identify the specific mine-



related sources which may be inadequately controllable or uncontrollable;



it should describe possible violations  of water quality standards and goals,



and resultant interference with protection of beneficial water uses. Established



procedures must be followed to seek exception to designation of national



goal water uses and standards in any water quality limited segment because



of pollution contributions  from existing mine-related sources.

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                                  3-15





     No formal mechanism exists for downgrading water uses and water



quality standards which are presently being achieved to permit new



mine-related operations to take place which would result in uncontrollable.



or in inadequately controllable water pollution leading to violations of



water quality standards, or to failure to achieve water quality goals or



to protect designated beneficial water uses.



WQM Task - Compare pollution loads anticipated from alternative control



             subplans with other nonpoint source pollutant load contributions,



             and with gross allotments for nonpoint source pollutants on



             water quality limited segments.



                Earlier in the WQM process, gross allotments for



                each nonpoint pollutant are to have  been established for



                nonpoint sources  on water quality limited segments.



                The gross allotment is the maximum nonpoint pollutant



                load permissible  under design flow conditions consistent



                with meeting revised  Water Quality Standards. No



                widely accepted analytical process  exists for allocation



                of pollutant loads along each water  quality limited segment



                among point and nonpoint  sources,  and  among different



                nonpoint source categories. Decisions related to nonpoint



                waste load allocation  at this time are likely to be based



                upon social and economic  considerations rather than upon



                the  results of rigorous multiple category tradeoff analysis.



WQM Task - Select  a current mine -related water pollution control subplan.



             The selected control subplan should represent the most effective



             implementable  regulatory control system for preventing and



             controlling all forms of mine-related water pollution.  The

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                                  3-16





             chosen system will reflect the best preventive measures



             and control practices currently available, supported by land



             use requirements as needed, and tempered by State and/or



             local social and economic constraints.



WQM Task - Prepare an environmental assessment for the selected current



             mine-related control system(s) included in the selected subplan.



             Environmental assessment is discussed in EPA's publication



             entitled "Environmental Assessment of Water Quality Manage-



             ment Plans" (October 1976).



                The water quality and the economic implications (especially



             the costs of regulatory program management and administration)



             of the selected control subplan will have been described earlier



             in the subplan preparation process.  A broader environmental



             assessment should be prepared for the finally selected subplan.



             This effort may involve some expansion of water quality and



             economic aspects as well as assessment of broader environ-



             mental (aesthetic,  air, noise, terrestrial ecology,  etc. )



             and social (development, economics,  energy, etc. ) impacts.



      The subplan that is selected becomes an integral part of the overall



WQM plan for the State or the areawide jurisdiction.






3. 4  Control System Implementation and Continuing Water Quality Management



      Control implementation for current operations  is likely to be phased



to avoid significant disruption to mineral production or to prevent other



economic or technical problems.  Mineral industry operations with a short



term production life may be treated differently from  those operations



expected to be active well into future years.  The extent to which inactive,

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                                   3-17

but not yet abandoned operations will be included in the current control
program will have been determined earlier in the subplan development
process.  Definitions of,  and distinctions between,  current and new opera-
tions, and applicability of differing levels of control to each should be
set forth in the selected control subplan description.
      Following formal implementation of the  current source control subplan,
continuing water quality management and WQM planning would be initiated
(See Chapter 7.0).  Continuing evaluation of the effectiveness of the control
system in-achieving its objectives  and integration of WQM planning into
pre-operations planning and mine-related permit approval functions would
be a part of the  continuing WQM process.

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                               CHAPTER 4.0



            MINE-RELATED BEST MANAGEMENT PRACTICES





4.1 Identification of BMP's In a Control System Context



     State and areawide WQM agencies will often not be directly involved in



design and application of the specific details of preventive measures and



control practices  or BMP's at individual mineral industrial operations sites.



Instead, WQM agencies are responsible for assuring timely development,



implementation, and continuing operation of an overall control system or



process which is sufficiently effective  to achieve water quality goals and protect



beneficial water uses.  Such a control system or regulatory process will



include not only those components directly related to identification of specific



preventive measures and control practices, but also all other elements that



are needed to insure on-the-ground achievement of the control objectives.



These elements include adequate legal authority (especially for industrial



responsibility for all adverse hydrologic impacts during and following mining)



strong enforcement, sufficient numbers of well qualified technical personnel,



competent administration,  sanctions for intentional violations, and other



types of regulatory  program support.



    The WQM agency is responsible for developing a control system  or a



regulatory process  which specifies or  effectively identifies BMP's for each



mine-related  operation and insures that those preventive measures and



control practices  which are specified or identified  are also in fact utilized.



In some instances,  specific details of mine-related field practice may



apply so generally to all operations of a particular type, that their use



is required directly in mine-related control law, or in subsequently issued



rules and regulations.  Across-the-board requirements for use of specific



practices may also  emerge if permitting greater flexibility for dafinition

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                                    4-2





of site specific practice requirements under a permit process leads to



abuses and ultimately to ineffective water pollution control.





4. 2  Basic Objective  and Approach to BMP Application



     The basic objective for design and application of BMP's for mine-related



industrial operations is:



             To recognize and sufficiently control the onsite and



             offsite  pollution causing hydrologic consequences of



             mineral extraction and all other associated and supporting



             mine-related industrial operations so as to achieve water



             quality goals and protect beneficial water uses.



     This basic objective can be achieved by applying general control



principles to all mineral industrial operations within the framework of



an effective regulatory control system or  process.   General control principles



must be translated into specific preventive measures and control practices



peculiar to the  circumstances found at each mineral industrial operations



site.  This should result in attaining the desired level of control  or the



best practicable level of control.



     The actual arrangements or approaches for carrying out this  process



are likely to vary from one area, or from one State to another.  The



mining industry will often  play the  biggest part in designing the specific



details of preventive  measures and control practices for use at each



site, but with varying degrees of input and participation from government



mine-related regulatory management agency personnel.  In any event, design



of specific control practices at each site should be  accomplished by competent



professionals who are knowledgeable about mine-related operations and



prevention and  control of water pollution.

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                                     4-3


 4. 3  General Control Principles and Examples of Specific Preventive
      Measures and Control Practices

      Mineral industrial operations are so varied and diverse that no

 single list of control principles can include all the situations that might

 occur.   However,  this discussion of control principles touches upon

 the majority of the areas of mine-related pollution control.

      Commercially mined and processed  mineral commodities range from

 mineral fuels,  such as coal and oil, to metallic ores of iron, copper,

 and numerous other metals, to nonmetallic minerals like sand and gravel,

 stone, phosphate,  various clay minerals and others.  A list of over 100

 mineral industrial subcategories  is found in Chapter  1. 0., Section 1. 2.

      The varied types of mining include deep mining,  strip mining,  auger

 mining,  open pit mining, placer mining and dredging, well extraction,  solution

 mining,  and others.  Some of the various  types of mining and phases of mineral

 industrial operations were described previously in Chapter 1. 0, Section 1. 4.

 Other phases of mineral industrial operations,  in  addition to mining, or mineral

 extraction itself, include mineral exploration, mineral transport, mineral

 processing,  mineral storage, and  mineral waste disposal. Each type of

 mineral industrial  operation will have its own sequence of activities, and

 its own potential risk of water pollution during active operation and/or

 following close-down.  Specific preventive  measures and control practices

 must  be  designed for each different mineral industrial operation on the

 basis of  a hydrologic examination of the site and the hydrologic consequences

 expected from all planned activities and sequenced operations (see Appsndix

A for an example of mine site hydrologic examination and Appendix B for

a discussion of water quality implications of mine-related industry actions)

This hydrologic examination involving recognition of hydrologic consequences

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                                     4-4






and design of specific BMP's is an essential part of an effective pre-operations



pollution control planning effort.



     Whether conducted entirely by mining industry personnel or by various



mixes  of industry,  and government, pre-planning for water pollution control




must result in development of a control plan which  will convince the govern-




ment regulatory authority that the proposed mine-related industrial operation(s)



can be conducted without causing surface water or ground water pollution



that  would interfere with beneficial water uses.




     All adverse hydrologic consequences of mine-related industrial operations




on surface water and ground water quality require examination and appropriate




control.  These may include some forms of hydrologic imbalance or disturbance,



as well as direct chemical and/or physical pollution. Specific measures and




practices must be designed to prevent or control all water pollution and




beneficial water use impacts, including those stemming from both point



and nonpoint sources. Proper selection and application of BMP's may



provide at least a partially  effective control mechanism for unregulated



storm  overflow from point source treatment systems.  Storm overflow is




exempted from compliance  with effluent discharge limitations under NPDES.



     Translation of general control principles into  specific preventive



measures and control practices involves identification or design of BMP's




reflecting the best  available prevention and control.



     The  U. S.  Environmental Protection Agency published a report in



October of 1973 entitled "Processes,  Procedures and Methods to Control



Pollution  From Mining Activities" which was intended to provide a general



overview  of specific mine-related pollution control techniques, and to "point




the direction for further detailed inquiry" by State and areawide vVQM




agencies, their designates, the  mining industry and other parties.

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                                   4-5


     The continuing mine-related water quality control and management

Process, which is discussed in Chapter 7.0, must provide for an ongoing

evaluation of the  effectiveness of the regulatory control system and the

specific  control practices being applied within its framework for meeting

Water quality goals and protecting beneficial water uses. As mine-related

Pollution control technology advances, the control system must recognize

a^d insure implementation of improved and increasingly effective water

Pollution prevention and control practices as they become ready for practical

field application.


    4. 3.1 Control Principles

          General control principles which should be applied in selection and

design of specific preventive measures and control practices are listed.below.

          1.  Choose Least Hazardous Methods.

             Choose mine-related operating methods which minimize pollution
             causing hydrologic disturbance and which generate the least
             potential water pollution hazard (see page 4-9).

          2.  Manage Water.

             Plan mineral industrial operations so as to jmanage water
             entering,  moving through, and editing  from ^11 affected
             surface or subsurface areas.  Proper  water 'management
             often includes minimizing inflow of surface water or ground
             water into affected areas (see page 4-13).

          3.  Control Erosion and Trap Sediment.

             Use the best combination of at-source  erosion and sediment
             control techniques to control erosion and sediment loss from
             all affected and disturbed areas and to  prevent offsite transport
             (see page 4-16).

         4.  Segregate Water From Toxics.

             Reduce the amount of water and the length of time that water comes
             into contact with pollution forming materials; toxic, acid forming,
             etc. (see page  4-18).

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                         4-6
 5.  Collect and Treat Runoff When Other Approaches Fail.

     Consider collection and treatment of nonpoint source runoff,
     seepage, and percolation when other at-source control approaches
     prove to be inadequate to achieve control objectives (see page 4-20).

 6.  Quickly Stabilize Pis Uirbed Areas.

     Stabilize and protect all disturbed areas which present a potential
     for contributing pollutants as contemporaneously as possible with
     conduct of mine-related industrial operations, including mineral
     exploration, mine development, extraction, transport, processing,
     storage, and waste disposal (see page 4-22).

 7.  Properly Store Minerals and Dispose of Mineral Wastes.

     Store mined minerals and processed mineral  products, and dispose
     of all mineral wastes  so that pollution of surface water and
     ground water by wind  action, runoff,  seepage  or percolation
     (leaching) is effectively prevented or controlled (see page 4-24).

 8.  Correct Pollution-Causing Hydrologic Disturbances.

     Use measures designed to restore premining hydrologic conditions
     or to correct hydrologic disturbances which may be responsible
     for causing surface  water or ground water pollution or adverse
     beneficial use impacts during or following mine-related operations
     (see page 4-28).

 9.   Prevent and  Control Pollution From Roads.

     Insure that access and haul roads are constructed,  maintained,
     and closed so as to control or  prevent water pollution  related
     to mass movements, erosion,  and offsite transport of sediment
     (see page 4-31).

10.   Avoid Disturbing Stream Beds. Stream Banks  and Natural Drainways.

     Avoid disturbing or constructing roads within  stream beds,  banks
     or natural drainways and drainage channels,  or using such
     drainages for vehicular access (see page 4-36).

11.   Use Stringent Controls in High Risk Areas.

     Recognize particularly high risk pollution hazard situations and
     sensitive areas, and design especially stringent preventive
     measures and control  practices which are adequate to prevent
     or control pollution under these circumstances. Such special
     situations might include mine-related operations conducted:
     on alluvial valley floors; on steep slopes; within areas draining
     to existing high quality waters which constitute an outstanding
     National resource; within municipal watersheds or sole source
     aquifer recharge zones recognized under Subsection 1424(e) of

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                         4-7
     Public Law 93-523,  "Safe Drinking Water Act"; where water
     quality or hydrologic consequences may adversely affect rare
     and endangered species (see page  A-38).

12.  Apply Sound Enginee ring.

     Insure use of proper engineering design for all mine-related
     structures which present a risk of pollution through design
     fault or failure,  including retainment dike walls, pipelines,
     cut and fill slopes, dams, impoundments, and mineral
     storage and waste disposal piles {see page 4-45).

13.  Properly Locate and Seal Shafts and Boreholes.

     Locate, fill, case, seal, or otherwise manage  all boreholes,
     wells, shafts,  and portals so as to prevent or control surface
     water and ground water pollution (see page 4-47)

14.  Control Fugitive Dust

     Fugitive dust may result from any affected area or  from any
     phase of any mineral industrial operation.  Dust should be
     controlled when  it contributes to chemical or physical water
     pollution.  Particular attention should be  given to control
     of wind blown fines containing toxic or radioactive contaminants
     (see page 4-50).

15.  Maintain Control Measures.

     Perform all maintenance necessary to insure the continued
     effectiveness of all control measures including drainage
     structures and treatment systems  (see page  4-52).


16.  Use Temporary Stabilization and Control When  Needed.

     Use temporary stabilization and control measures when transitory
     conditions are created  during conduct of mine-related  industrial
     operations, which present a significant water pollution hazard,
     including those created during periods of inactivity  (see page 4-55).

17.  Prevent and Control Pollutioa After Close Down or  Abandonment.

     Close down, remove or abandon all structural measures,
     facilities and areas affected by mine-related industrial
     operations upon completion of. activity so as to prevent or
     control long term po 3 tope rational surface  water and ground
     water pollution (see page 4-57).

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                                  4-8






      4.3.2 Example  Preventive Measures and Control Practices



             Each control principle is illustrated on the pages following



by one specific example of a practice, procedure,  method, measure, or




technique used within some particular mineral industrial subcateogory.



Illustrative examples have been taken largely without modification from



EPA publications, from State mining regulations and from recent Federal



coal mining legislation, now Public Law 95-87, dated August 3,  1977.

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                   4-9





      CONTROL PRINCIPLE NO.  1
   CHOOSE LEAST HAZARDOUS METHODS







Choose mine-related operating methods which



minimize pollution causing hydrologic disturbance



and which generate the least potential water pollution



hazard.

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                                   4-10


                                EXAMPLE

            DOWNDIP MINING AND PREPLANNED FLOODING


Take from:  "Processes, Procedures and Methods to Control Pollution from
Mining Activities",  p. 188-191.   Environmental Protection Agency, EPA
480/9-73-011.  October 1973.
    Most pollution forming materials require oxidation for increased solubility.

The sulfides which are responsible for most pollution are relatively insoluble

and inert until oxidized.  Underground mining provides  a source of oxygen

to these minerals,  which have only limited oxygen contact prior to mining.   If

a mine contains air after abandonment, then the minerals will continue to

oxidize.  Flooding of a mined zone is the only practical method  of eliminating

the oxygen source under present technology.   Elimination of free air atmosphere

greatly reduces oxidation.  Ground water entering a mine will have a small

amount of dissolved oxygen: on the order of 0  to 10 mg/1.  This  supply is in-

sufficient to sustain any significant amount of  pollution formation.  Flooding

is not always the best solution, because some minerals will be dissolved under

acidic conditions, which are likely to occur during flooding.

    Free air oxygen is not always required for oxidation.  For example,

pyrite can be oxidized by ferric ions.  The extent of this type of reaction is

unknown.  Most literature sources seem  to indicate the elimination of free

air oxygen will eliminate a large portion  of pollution production. This means

that oxidation  is insignificant without the  presence of free air oxygen.

    Underground mines can be  developed  so that either flooding  or zero

discharge will occur after completion of mining.  This merely requires

positioning the openings at the  highest elevation and developing the mine

in a downward direction.  The  openings do not always have to be in the

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                                   4-11

highest position if sealing is planned.   The elevation difference between
the openings and the highest elevation of a mine should be held to a
minimum to insure effective operation of the seal.  The seal and the
rock in the  seal area should be capable of withstanding the maximum
attainable water pressure.
    Study of local hydrogeological conditions may reveal that the mine
could never be fully flooded.  In these cases, discharge can. be minimized
by locating  the mine opening above the highest attainable  post mining water
level.
    Flooding cannot occur unless an entire mine area is capable of withstanding
imposed water pressure.  Consideration must be  given to the fact that the
seal area may not be the weak point.  The down dip outcrop  area, and points
where mining approached the land surface, are potential  weak spots.  These
areas could physically fail under high  water pressures.
    Failure  is not the only problem. The rock units may have enough
permeability that a significant discharge will occur under the increased
head.  Sufficient mineral barriers should remain  along the perimeter of
a mine to insure flooding. Consideration should always be given relative
to closeness of approach to the land surface at any given area.  Mineral
barriers should also remain between adjacent underground mines to prevent
interflow from compounding problems.
    This system basically utilizes down dip mining with appropriate mineral
barriers in  place.
    Most underground mines were developed to the rise of the mineral
wherever there was a choice of going to the rise or to the  dip. This
was done to facilitate gravity drainage from the mine.  It also allowed
full mine cars to exit the mine under gravity influence, and the empty

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                                  4-12





cars were then hauled uphill.  The majority of abandoned underground



coal mines in the eastern United States were developed to the rise.



These mines are large sources  of pollution and they are extremely



difficult to seal.  If downdip mining had been practiced,  along with



judicious use of mineral barriers,  a large portion of the acid mine



drainage problem we now face would never have occurred.



    Use of this  technique will  entail additional costs for  underground




mining.  Water will collect in low spots and will have to be pumped



from the mine.  Pumping costs  will vary greatly.  They can be prohibi-



tive at times, as evidenced by the decline of underground mining in the




Pennsylvania Anthracite Field.   Leaving mineral barriers in place  will




cause additional costs because the barriers consist of non-recoverable




mineral.

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                     4-13
        CONTROL PRINCIPLE NO. 2
             MANAGE WATER







Plan mineral industrial operations so as to manage



water entering, moving through, and existing from all



affected surface or subsurface areas.  Proper water




management often includes minimizing inflow of



surface water or ground water into affected areas.

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                                   4-14
                                EXAMPLE
                           WATER DIVERSION
 Taken from: "Processes, Procedures and Methods  to Control Pollution
 from  Mining Activities", p. 63-66. Environmental Protection Agency,
 EPA 430/9-73-011, October 1973.
         Water diversion involves collection of water before it enters
the mine area, and then conveying it around a mine site.  This proce-
dure decreases erosion, reduces pollution and reduces water treatment
costs by reducing the volume of water that needs to be treated.

         Ditches, flumes, pipes, trench drains and dikes  are all com-
monly used for water diversion.  Ditches are usually excavated upslope
of the surface mine to collect and convey the water.  Flumes and pipes
are used to carry water down steep  slopes or across regraded areas.
Riprap and dumped rock are sometimes used to reduce water velocity
in the conveyance system.

         Water diversion can also occur within a surface mine.  Drain-
ways at the bottom of a highwall are helpful,in many cases, to convey
entering ground water from the mine prior to its contact with pollution-
forming materials.

         Ground waters can be diverted by pumping water from the flow
path area prior to entrance to the mine.  In some instances, it may be
cheaper to drill holes and pump ground water away than to treat the
water after it passes through a mine.

         Surface water diversion could be applied to many large valley
fill bony piles in  the east and tailings piles in the west.  Many of these
waste piles were built across valleys (natural watercourses) causing
streams to pass through the pollution-forming materials.  This water
can be diverted around or conveyed  through the waste material.

         Surface water diversion is an effective technique for reducing
water pollution.  It can be applied to almost any surface mine or mine
waste pile.

         A water diversion system should be properly designed to  ac-
commodate expected volumes and water velocities. If the capacity of
a ditch is exceeded ,water can erode  the sides and render the ditch use-
less for any amount of rainfall.

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                       4-15
          Spoil

Original  Ground Surface
                               Compacted Fill To Prevent
                               Ponding At Toe
                   CROSS  SECTION  OF
   DRAINAGE  DITCH  ON  UPHILL SIDE OF A SPOIL  PILE
             Terrace—\  Slope      S
-\ siope
                                         Top Of Spoil

                                               Slope

                                          X^    Ditch
                                             Spoil
 Toe Of
 Spoil
              Ditch

       Original  Ground  Surface
          FIGURE 4.1-  CROSS SECTION  OF
             DIVERSION  DITCH  APPLICATIONS

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                     4-16
        CONTROL PRINCIPLE NO.  3
  CO_NTROL EROSION AND TRAP SEDIMENT







Use the best combination of at-source erosion and




sediment control techniques to control erosion



and sediment loss from all affected and disturbed




areas and to prevent offsite transport.

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                                    4-17
                               EXAMPLE


                      ONSITE EROSION CONTROL
Taken from: "Drainage System: Ditch on Bench. "  West Virginia
Department of Natural Resources Surface Mining Reclamation Regulations,
Chapter 20-6, Series VII, Section 7.0,  Subsection 7A. 02.
      "Drainage ditches will be constructed on the excavated solid bench

in order to carry off storm, surface or seepage water ....  In no case

shall water be discharged over a spoil slope.  Removal of water from the

bench shall be accomplished by use of adequate pipe, a rock riprap flume,

asphalt or concrete shutes,  or by grading a channel to nonerosive rock. "

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                      4-18






         CONTROL PRINCIPLE NO.  4
     SEGREGATE WATER FROM TOXICS






Reduce the amount of water and the length of time



that water comes into contact with pollution forming



materials; toxic, acid forming, etc.

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                                  4-19


                               EXAMPLE

                 SPECIAL HANDLING AND PLACEMENT

                     OF ACID FORMING MATERIALS

Take from: "MINE DRAINAGE ".  Pennsylvania Department of Environmental
Resources Rules and Regulations,  Title 25,  Part I,  Subpart C,  Article
II, Chapter 99 .36(c)(l). September 2, 1971.


   "Acid-forming materials shall be separated from the rest of the spoil

and spread along the bottom of the  pit close to the base of the spoil pile

along the low-wall side of the cut.  All  exposed refuse shall be  covered

with clean  fill daily if necessary to prevent pollution, but at least at intervals

not to exceed one week.  The top surface of the cover shall be graded so

that water  will run off rather than soak into the backfill to reach the acid-

forming refuse.   Alternate layers of  refuse and clean fill shall  be spread

over the area so that the maximum thickness of each layer of refuse  shall

be no greater than 30 inches and the minimum thickness of each layer

of clean fill shall be no less than 24 inches.  The top layer of refuse  shall

have a cover of clean fill with a minimum thickness of five  feet. The

cover shall be graded so that surface water will drain away from the disposal

area until such time as the area has been completely restored.

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                                 4-20
                  CONTROL PRINCIPLE NO.  5
COLLECT AND TREAT RUNOFF WHEN OTHER APPROACHES FAIL







         Consider collection and treatment of nonpoint source



         runoff,  seepage, and percolation when other at-source



         control approaches prove to be inadequate to achieve




         control objectives.

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                                     4-21

                                EXAMPLE

                               UNDERDRAINS

 Take from:  "Processes, Procedures and Methods to Control Pollution
 from Mining Activities", p. 67.  Environmental Protection Agency,
 EPA 430/9-73-011.  October 1973.

 DESCRIPTION

    Underdrains of rock or perforated pipe can be placed below pollution -

 forming materials to quickly discharge infiltrating water.  These devices

 shorten the flow path and residence time of water in the waste materials.

 Underdrains are designed to provide zones of high permeability to collect

 and transport water from the bottom of the piles.  A common method of

 construction is to use trenches filled with rock.

    Underdrains should prove effective for use with bony storage areas

 and large tailings  accumulations.  They are best suited for installation

 prior to creation of the pile.  They can also be installed in existing piles,

 although the cost is higher.

 EVALUATION

    These drains have been tried on western tailings piles, but their

effectiveness has not been documented.  They  are recommended for use

with the  he ad-of-hollow mining technique.  The concept is theoretically

sound and will probably be demonstrated in the near future.

    There are certain limitations to use  of Underdrains.  They should

not be used  where inundation has occurred, because they will drain the

pile and  cause an adverse effect.  They should only be used in piles

where the water table is fluctuating, and  flow is in direct response to

rainfall.  Care must be taken during design to preclude the possibility

of fines clogging the completed underdrain installation.

    The water quality of flow from  Underdrains should be monitored and

appropriate effluent discharge  limitations met through direct treatment when

necessary.

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                        4-22






         CONTROL PRINCIPLE NO.  6
    QUICKLY STABILIZE DISTURBED AREAS








Stabilize and protect all disturbed areas which present a



potential for contributing  pollutants as contemporaneously



as possible  with conduct of mine-related industrial operations,



including mineral exploration, mine development,  extraction,



transport, processing,  storage,  and waste disposal.

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                                  4-23


                                EXAMPLE

                   CONTEMPORANEOUS STABILIZATION

                           OF AFFECTED AREAS


(Take from:  "Environmental Protection Performance Standards". Public Law
95-87. Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act of 1977, Section 515(b)(4)
and (16).   August 3, 1977


    "General performance standards shall be applicable to all surface coal

mining and reclamation operations and shall require the operation as a

minimum to-

       o stabilize and protect all surface areas including spoil

          piles affected by the surface coal mining and reclamation

          operation to effectively control erosion and attendant air

          and water pollution;

       o insure that all reclamation efforts proceed in an

          environmentally sound manner and as  contemporaneously

          as practicable with the surface coal mining operations. "

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                              4-24
                 CONTROL PRINCIPLE NO. 7
PROPERLY STORE MINERALS AND DISPOSE OF MINERAL WASTES









        Store mined minerals and processed mineral products,




        and dispose of all mineral wastes so that pollution of




        surface water and ground water by wind action, runoff,




        seepage or percolation (leaching) is effectively prevented



        or controlled.

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                                   4-25
                               EXAMPLE
                  REDUCING SURFACE WATER INFILTRATION

     Take from:  "Processes,  Procedures and Methods  to Control  Pollution from
    Mining Activities", p.  57-59.  U.S. Environmental Protection Agency,  EPA
    430/9-73-011.   October  1973.
             This technique involves reducing surface permeability of pol-
     lution-forming materials.  This can be achieved by placement of imper-
     vious materials such as concrete, soil cement, asphalt, rubber, plastic,
     latex and clay.  This effect can also be achieved by surface compaction
     and by chemical surface treatment (such as carbonate bonding).

             Concrete and asphalt are applied in a layer on the pollution-
     forming material to form a water tight seal.  The remaining materials
     may be left exposed, or may be covered with soil, depending upon the
     material and future land use.
             Original  Ground  Surface

                              Backfilled  Grade  Surface
                                       •Clean Spoil  6k  Topsoil
            Pollution
            Forming
            Material
Impermeable
Material
                                               Clean  Spoil
FIGURED-REDUCING     SURFACE   WATER   INFILTRATION
          TO  BURIED    POLLUTION - FORMING   MATERIAL

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                                 4-26
         Compaction of the existing surface materials will decrease in-
 filtration to some degree.  Degree of success will depend on the physical
 nature of the material and equipment utilized for compaction.

         Latex soil sealant is applied as a dry compound at a predeter-
 mined depth in existing surface material. The latex compound reacts
 with infiltrating ground water to form a thin, impermeable film, or
 layer, at a desired depth.

         Carbonate bonding is a physio-chemical application to an exist-
 ing surface which produces a cement-like product. The procedure in-
 volves roto-tilling lime hydrate and water into the material, followed
 by installation of plastic perforated pipes.  The pipes  distribute pure
 carbon dioxide gas through the lime hydrate-waste material mixture,
 converting the lime hydrate into a hard carbonate material which acts
 as a surface sealant.

         Asphalt and concrete are excellent  sealants, but are expensive.
The only presently economically feasible way to use these sealants is
in multipurpose  reclamation such as constructing parking lots, build-
ings,  airport runways and roads over pollution-forming materials. They
are too expensive for use as a single purpose water pollution control
method.  Use of pollution-forming materials in highway road base con-
struction to eliminate surface water infiltration  is a technique being re-
searched.

         Use of rubber and plastic as coverings  has been accomplished
experimentally.  They are extremely prone  to damage when exposed,
and do not appear feasible without an extensive maintenance program.
Attempts have been made to cover them with soil, but  the equipment used
to place the soil usually damages the covering.  A soil cover on these
materials is not very stable and tends to erode and slide.  The soil cov-
erings would also vegetate, which could result in root  damage to the seals.

         Compaction is one of the cheapest techniques, but unfortunately
most mine wastes cannot be compacted sufficiently (without use of other
techniques)  to significantly control water pollution.

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                                   4-27
         Carbonate bonding is essentially in the experimental stages.
However, it shows promise of being a viable sealing technique.  Further
experimentation in practical situations should be performed before ex-
tensive use of the technique.

         Use of latex as a soil sealant proved ineffective in a  demonstra-
tion project in Clearfield County, Pennsylvania.

         Clay appears to be the best practical sealant material.  It is one
of the least expensive and yet most maintenance free.  Clay is compacted
over the pollution-forming material, and should be covered with soil  to
prevent desiccation,  failure,  and subsequent erosion.  Feasibility of clay
as a sealer usually depends on local availability of clay.

         Pollution-forming materials should be graded into the smallest
 practical area prior to sealing.

         All of these sealants are subject to failure, either chemical
 or physical, and will require some matntenance.

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                          4-28






             CONTROL PRINCIPLE NO. 8
CORRECT POLLUTION-CAUSING HYDROLQGIC DISTURBANCES









       Use measures designed to restore premining




       hydrologic conditions or to correct hydrologic




       disturbances which may be responsible for causing



       surface water or ground water pollution or adverse




       beneficial use impacts during or following mine-




       related operations.

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                                4-29
                             EXAMPLE

              REGRADING TO APPROXIMATE ORIGINAL CONTOUR

 Taken from:  "Processes, Procedures and Methods to Control  Pollution
 from Mining  Activities",  p.  112-113.  U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
 EPA 430/9-73-011.  October 1973.
DESCRIPTION
        This technique involves regrading a mine to a shape that close-
ly resembles original land contour.  It is generally one of the most
favored regrading techniques because it  returns the  land as closely as
possible to its pre-mining state.  This technique is also favored be-
cause all spoil  is placed back into the mine   resulting in less disturbed
area, and usually less water pollution.  Contour regrading facilitates
deep burial of pollution-forming material.  It reduces erosion due to
reduction  in size of disturbed areas.
            Original  Ground  Surface
           Diversion  Ditch
                                     Backfilled Ground  Surface
            FIGURE 4.3 -CROSS    SECTION   OF
                  TYPICAL  CONTOUR   BACKFILL

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                                      4-30
EVALUATION
         Contour regrading appears to be one of the best methods of
water pollution control for surface—mined lands.  It is also one of the
most expensive, because of the large volume of spoil to be moved.  It
can be facilitated through use of mining techniques such as the modified
block cut.

         Contour regrading is difficult at abandoned strip mines  in
steep terrain.  It is difficult and expensive to move downslope spoil
back upslope onto the bench.

         Contour regrading is limited to areas where sufficient spoil
exists  to achieve original contour.  It is not applicable for mining recla-
mation where there  is a  large volume of mineral  in relation to the
volume of overburden, as in open pit or quarry mining.

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                       4-31
          CONTROL PRINCIPLE NO. 9
PREVENT AND  CONTROL POLLUTION FROM ROADS








  Insure that access and haul roads are constructed,




  maintained, and closed so as to control or prevent



  water pollution related to mass movements,  erosion,



  and offsite transport of sediment.

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                                   4-32


                                EXAMPLE


HAUL ROAD CULVERT OUTFLOW TRANSPORT TO TOE OF SLOPES

Taken from:  "Demonstration of Coal Mine Haul Road Sediment Control
Techniques", p. 34-37.  U.S. Environmental Protection Agency,
EPA-600/2-76-196.  August 1976.


      Section and flexible slope drains can be used to channel culvert

outflows so as to stabilize areas at the to? of the fill slope; however,

freezing weather presents some maintenance problems for flexible

downdrains.  Culvert pipe buried in the fill slope would probably require

the least maintenance.

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    4-33

FIGURE 4.4 - Typical  section  slope
               drain   installation

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          4-34
FIGURE 4.5-Typical  flexible  slope
           drain  installation

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                         4-35
       SAFETY BERM
                          CORRUGATED METAL PIPE
       V A-BITUMINIZED FIBER PIPE
      '//
'SPLASH APRON
                     FIGURE 4.6-Typical  installation of  pipe

                                   buried in fill  slope

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                                4-36
                    CONTROL PRINCIPLE NO. 10
AV01D DISTURBING STREAM BEDS, STREAM BANKS AND NATURAL DRAINAGES






               Avoid disturbing or constructing roads within




               stream beds or natural drainways and drainage




               channels, or using such drainages for vehicular



               access.

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                                  4-37


                               EXAMPLE

             NATURAL DRAINWAY DISTURBANCE LIMITATION


Take from:  "Natural Drainways".  West Virginia Department of Natural
Resources Surface Mining Reclamation Regulations, Chapter 20-6,
Series VII, Section 7. 02.  1971.
    "Natural drainways in the area of land disturbed by surface mining

operations shall be kept free of overburden except where overburden

placement has been approved.   Such drainways shall be identified on

the maps  submitted with the application.  Surface mining operations

will be prohibited 50 feet on either side of a natural drainway. "

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                     4-38
        CONTROL PRINCIPLE NO. 11
  USE STRINGENT CONTROLS IN HIGH RISK AREAS








Recognize particularly high risk pollution-hazard




situations and sensitive areas,  and design especially




stringent preventive measures and control practices



which are adequate to prevent or control pollution



under these circumstances.   Such special situations




might include mine-related operations conducted: on



alluvial valley floors; on  steep slopes; within areas



draining to existing high quality waters which con-




stitute an outstanding National resource; within municipal




watersheds or sole source aquifer recharge zones



recognized under Subsection 1424(e) of Public Law 93-523,




"Safe Drinking Water Act";  where water quality or




hydrologic consequences  may adversely affect rare



and endangered  species.

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                                      .4-39

                                     EXAMPLE

                  BLOCK-CUT OR HAUL  BACK METHOD  OF  CONTOUR
                              MINING ON  STEEP  SLOPES

        Taken from:  "Environmental Protection  in Surface  Mining  of  Coal".       ,g  .
       p. 74-80.  U.S.  Environmental Protection  Agency,  EPA-670/2-74-093.  Oct.  iy/4.

  The Block-cut method  (haul back, pit  storage, put and take, etc.)  is  a  simple
  innovation of the  conventional contour strip mining method for steep  terrain
  (See Figure  4.7). Instead of  casting  the overburden from above the coal seam
  down the hillside,  it  is hauled back  and placed in the pit of the  previous  cut.
  The method is not  new  and is known by various names, depending on  the locality.
  Basically, the  operational procedures are similar in that no  spoil is deposited
  on the downslope below the coal seam, topsoil is saved, overburden is removed
  in blocks and deposited in prior cuts, the outcrop barrier is left intact,  and
  reclamation is  integrated with mining (Figures 4'.8 and 4.9).

  When beginning  the  mine, a block of overburden is removed down to  the coal  seam
  and disposed of (Figure 4,7).  This first cut spoil can be placed above  the  high-
  wall in some instances, or spread  along the downslope as in conventional contour
  mining, or moved laterally and deposited in a head-of-hollow  fill  or  ridge  fill.
  The original cut is made into  the  hillside to the maximum depth  that  is to  be
                                  TOP OF RIDGE
                                  -HIGHWALL-
CUT 7
CUT 5
-*- —
CUT 3
-^- —
CUT 1
-»- -*-
CUT 2
— -*«-
CUT 4
— -^
CUT 6
                               -OUTCROP  BARRIER-
                                    HOLLOW


                    PROCEDURE
                    ISCALP FROM TOP OF HIGHWALl TO OUTCROP BARRIER.
                     REMOVE AND STORE IOPSOIL
                    2 REMOVE AND DISPOSE OF OVERBURDEN FROM CUT I
                    3 PICK UP COAL. LEAVING AT LEAST A 15 FOOT UNDISTURBED
                     OUTCROP BARRIER
                    4MAKE SUCCESIVE CUTS AS NUMBERED
                    5OVERBUPOEN IS MOVED IN THE DIRECTION. AS SHOWN BY
                     ARROWS, AND PLACED IN THE ADJACENT PJT.
                    6 COMPUTE BACKFILL AND GRADING TO THE APPROXIMATE
                     ORIGINAL CONTOUR.


                         Figure  4.7 -Block-cut method.
        The width is generally three time  that  of  th^' following cuts.  After
 "   '    is rem0ved, the overburden from the  second cut is placed in the first
 •f C°d the coal from the second cut is  removed.   This process is repeated as
P.  .an     resses around the mountain.   Once  the original cut has been made,
mining Pr°6   ~nntinuous, working  in both  directions around the hill or in only
mining can be conm
one direction.

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                         4-40
                   RIDGE TOP
                                                 HOLLOW
   FIGURE  4.8-  Block-cut method:   Stripping phase.
                  RIDGE TOP
                                           OMPACTED
                                          CLAY
                                 BARRIER
FIGURE 4.9 -  Block-cut method:  Backfilling phase.

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                                         4-41
The cuts are mined as units, thereby making it easier to retain the original
slope 'and shape of the mountain after mining.  In all cuts , an unmined outcrop
barrier is left to serve as a notch to support the toe of the backfilled over-
burden.  Block-cut mining makes it possible to mine on slopes steeper than those
being mined at present without the danger of slides and with minimal disturbance.
Approximately 60$ less total acreage is disturbed than by other mining techni-
ques now in use.  There is significant visual evidence that the block cut method
is less damaging than the old practice of shoving overburden down the side of
the mountain resulting in permanent scars on the landscape.  The treeline below
the mined area and above the highwall is preserved.  Results of the mining
operation generally are hidden and cannot be seen from the valley below. This
cosmetic feature is only one of the advantages that contribute to making this
an acceptable steep-slope mining method.

 Using  hypothetical  costs, Secor  calculated  that  under  Pennsylvania  law.
 where  backfilling  must be to  the original contour, the block-cut method cost
 33 cents  per ton  less  than  the conventional method.  He presumes that the lower
 cost was  due to the  fact  that  conventional  pull-back methods involve double
 handling  of spoil  material.   Secor cautions  that although  the block cut method
 is no  more  expensive  and  may  be  less than conventional dragline pull-back
 mining, these costs  are estimates only  and  can vary  from operation  to operation.

 Existing  or pending State  and Federal  legislation makes it  illegal  to push
 overburden  beyond  the outcrop and over  the  mountainside and  thus bans the
 conventional type  of contour  strip mining.   However, the block cut  or similar
 methods meet the  criteria  of  this new  legislation and  allow  for recovery of
 coal reserves in  mountainous  regions  that would  otherwise  be  unmineable.

 West Virginia Reclamation Chief,  Benjamin  C.  Greene  has stated the  follow-
 ing about the block-cut  method:   "As  far as we're  concerned  it's  the way of
 the future  if we  are to  continue contour surface mining  .  .  . The  environmental
 effects are very  minimal  and  can be  totally controlled by  this mining method."

 The block-cut method is  no longer experimental  and  is  now  operational  in
 several States.  Enough  information  is available from  active operations  to
 show this method to be potentially  feasible from an  economic and  environmental
 standpoint.

 Benefits and advantages  of the block-cut method  over conventional  contour
 strip-mining have been demonstrated  at producing nines under varying  conditions
 and are:

       1.    Spoil  on the downslope is totally eliminated.   Since  no fill  bench
            is produced,  landslides  have been eliminated.

       2.    Mined area is completely backfilled,  and since no highwall  is left,
            the area is aesthetically more pleasing.

       3.    Acreage disturbed is approximately 60?; less than that disturbed by
             conventional  contour mining.

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                                    4-42
     4.  Reclamation costs are lower, as the overburden is  handled  only
         once instead of two or three times.

     5.  Slope is not a limiting factor.

     6.  The block-cut method is applicable to multi-seam mining.

     7.  Size of the disturbed area drainage system is  smaller.

     8.  Size and number of sediment control structures have  been  reduced.
         Total life of structure usefulness is increased.

     9.  Revegetation costs have been considerably reduced  and  it  is  easier
         to keep the seeding current with the mining.   Bond releases  are
         quicker.

    10.  AMD siltation, and erosion is significantly reduced  and more
         easily controlled because of concurrent reclamation  with  mining.

    11.  Overburden is easily segregated, topsoil  can  be saved, and toxic
         materials can be deeply buried.


One of the disadvantages of the block-cut method is:

         Long-term environmental  consequences are  not  known and will
         require a monitoring program of a pilot block-cut  operation
         to determine if stream siltation and mineralization  can  be
         eliminated.

Perhaps the most salient feature of block cutting  is that the removal  of
the overburden and the reforming of the original contour by backfilling
are integral processes (Figures 4.10 and 4.11).   As a  result, the  method
tends to reduce many of the associated environmental impacts  that  occur
by other methods.  This new mining technique has been  accepted  as  one of
the most significant breakthroughs made in contour mining in  mountainous
terrain.

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                          4-43
     STEP 1
         REMOVE TIMBER AND CUT
             TRENCH  TO CATCH
             10LLING STONES,
      STEP 2
               INITIAL DOZER CUT
               TO  MAKE  DRILL BENCH
      STEP  3
             DRILL BENCH IS SHOT
             AND HAULED BACK
             TO BACKFILL
              BARRIER
        Figure 4.10   Block-cut method:
Controlled placement of spoil, steps 1, 2, and  3,

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                        4-44
   STEP  4
                                 ,
            HAUL ROAD
            AND DRAINAGE
            DITCH IS BUILT  ALONG
            UNCOVERED COAL
   STEP  5
        REMOVE  UNCOVERED
        COAL AND AUGER.
        FILL  HOLES WITH
        COMPACTED  CLAY.
                 COMPACTED
                     CLAY
                                  i:i-^ AUGER HOLE
   STEP 6
          BACKFILL & REVEGETATE
                               SLOPE BENCH
                           TOWARD HIGHWALL
        Figure 4.11    Block-cut  method:
Controlled placement of spoil, steps  1*,  5,  and 6.

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                      4-45
       CONTROL PRINCIPLE NO. 12
       APPLY SOUND ENGINEERING








Insure use of proper engineering design for all



mine-related structures which present a risk




of pollution through design fault or failure,




including  retainment dike walls,  pipelines, cut




and fill slopes, dams, impoundments,  and mineral



storage and waste disposal piles.

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                                                  4-46


                                               EXAMPLE

                      TEMPORARY SEDIMENT  BASIN ANTI-SEEP  COLLAR  DESIGN

             Taken  from:   "Erosion and  Sediment  Control-Surface Mining  in the
             Eastern U. S." Volume  2:  Design,  p.  59-63.U.S.  environmental  Protection
             Agency  Technology Transfer  Seminar Publication.  October  1976.
Anti-Seep Collar Design

     This procedure provides the anti-seep collar dimensions only for temporary sediment basins
in order  to increase the seepage length  by  10 percent for  various pipe slopes, embankment slopes,
and riser heights. This does not apply to permanent structures, which must hav*1 an increase of 15
percent in the seepage length.

     The first step in designing anti-seep collars is to determine the length of pipe within the sat-
urated zone of the embankment. This can  be done graphically or by the following equation, as-
suming that the  upstream slope of the  embankment intersects the invert of the pipe at its up-
stream end. See  embankment-invert intersection on figure 1-25. —'

         /  -   i,   A\   I  i     P'Pe  sl°Pe
           s                  0.25-pipe  slope

     where:

         Z/y = Length of pipe in the saturated zone (ft.)

         y  = Distance from upstream invert of pipe to highest normal water level  expected to
              occur during  the life of  the structure, usually the top of the riser (ft.).

         z  = Slope of upstream  embankment as a ratio of z ft. horizontal  to 1 foot vertical.

         pipe slope = Slope of pipe  in feet per foot.

   '  The numbers  4 and 0.25 are  based on approximation of the phreatic line (4:1  — figure I-
25).
                                                 V
     To determine Ls  graphically, refer to  figure I-26rTtio number, size, and spacing of collars
can then be determined from figure 1-27. —

     Example —  Given:       y =  8 ft., embankment slope = 2.5:1,
                            pipe slope =  10%, pipe diameter = 36"

                Find:        number, size, and spacing of anti-seep collars.

     From figure I-26,-saturated length, Ls = 87  ft. From figure I-27,-the size for two collars
would  be 7.3 ft.  and for three collars, 5.9  ft.  Select two collars since  they would be less expen-
sive and easier to install. Collar sizes  should be given in feet and inches; therefore, use two col-
lars 7 ft 4 in x 7 ft 4  in.  From figure 1-27,-the projection is 2.15' ft.1 Therefore, the maximum
collar spacing is (14) (2.15 ft) = 30.1 ft.

     Details and  installation  instructions^ for corrugated  metal collars are shown in figure T-28.
For helical  pipe collars, see figure  1-29.—'


 I/   Pages  59-63 of the source publication  cited above should  be  consulted for
      detailed  design  specifications.

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                         4-47






            CONTROL PRINCIPLE NO. 13
 PjRQPERLY LOCATE AND SEAL SHAFTS AND BOREHOLES






Locate, fill,  case,  seal, or otherwise manage all boreholes,




wells,  shafts, and portals so as to prevent or control




surface water and ground water pollution.

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                                 4-48

                               EXAMPLE

                   DOUBLE BULKHEAD MINE TUNNEL  SEAL

   Taken from:   "Processes, Procedures, and Methods to Control  Pollution
  from Mining Activities", p.  228-229.   U. S. Environmental Protection Agenc
  EPA 430/9-73-011.  October 1973.
         The technique involves placement of two retaining bulkheads
 in a mine opening followed by placement of 3 seal in the space between
 the bulkheads.  Bulkheads can be placed from a mine portal, if it is
 open and accessible, or through vertical boreholes from above.  Grout
 or concrete is then placed between the bulkheads via pipes through the
 front bulkhead, if accessible, or from vertical boreholes.

         Two types of double bulkhead mine seals have recently been
 successfully demonstrated.  In inaccessible  mine entryways a grouted
 seal  has been  used,  and for accessible mines quick setting concrete
 seals have proven effective .

         Grouted double bulkhead seals have been recently constructed
 at Moraine  State Park, Pennsylvania, under the state's  "Operation
 Scarlift" reclamation program.  This method utilized dry, coarse
 aggregate for front and rear  bulkheads placed through drillholes. The
 bulkheads were then grouted  to form solid front and rear seals. Water
 was  pumped out  of the center cavity between the  two bulkheads by new-
 ly placed drill holes.  Concrete was poured into the space between the
 two bulkheads. These same  mine seals have also been successfully
 installed without grouting  the retaining bulkheads.

         Use of double bulkhead seals for accessible mine entries has
 been  attempted only a few times, primarily by the Halliburton Company
 under contract to the EPA. A quick-setting slurry consisting of water,
 cement, bentonite and sodium silicate was used to construct the two
 bulkheads.  The  void between the bulkheads was filled with a special
 light  concrete composed of portland cement,  fly ash, bentonite  and
water, pumped through a grout pipe.  In another case, this void was
filled with pneumatically pumped limestone aggregate, which was then
grouted with light concrete.


         These seals have been successfully demonstrated and appear
 capable of withstanding relatively large amounts of water pressure.
 The maximum  pressure exerted has been  limited to  10.7 meters (35
feet)  of head.   However, these seals should be capable'of greater pres-
sures as installation procedures improve.

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                              4-49
         Grout curtains are required for total effectiveness.  Seal
leakages generally occur through the bottom and around the sides  of
a seal.   It is difficult to get a good seal at the mine roof because of
slumping.  The perimeter of a seal should be well grouted.

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                      4-50






       CONTROL PRINCIPLE NO. 14
         CONTROL FUGITIVE DUST







Fugitive dust may result from any affected area



or from any phase of any  mineral industrial



operation.  Dust should be controlled when it




contributes to chemical or physical water



pollution.  Particular attention should be given




to control of wind blown fines containing toxic



or radioactive contaminants.

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                                    4-51
                               EXAMPLE


                      HAUL ROAD DUST CONTROL



Taken from:  "Erosion and Sediment Control - Surface Mining in the
Eastern U.S." Volume 1:  Planning, p. 58, and p. 9. U.S. Environmental
Protection Agency.   Technology Transfer Seminar  Publication.
October 1976.


    "During dry periods,  periodic watering of the roadway may be

required to prevent the dust from entering the ditch.  [Measures may

also have to be taken to prevent windblown loss of mineral materials

from trucks and railroad cars during transit. ]  Dust particles deposited

in ditches, on the roadbed and [on other surfaces adjacent to the roadway]

are washed readily into adjoining drainageways during rainfall events. "

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                      4-52
        CONTROL PRINCIPLE NO. 15
                               ^ AS U HKS
Perform all maintenance necessary to insure the




continued effectiveness of all control  measures




including drainage structures and treatment  systems.

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                                   4-53

                               EXAMPLE

 REMOVAL AND DISPOSAL OF SEDIMENT FROM A SEDIMENT BASIN


Taken from: "Erosion and Sediment Control - Surface Mining in the
Eastern US"  Volume 1:  Planning, p.  70-71.  U. S  Environmental Proection
Agency Technology Transfer Seminar Publication.  October 1976.

Sediment Removal

    The most important maintenance problem associated with sediment

containment basins is the removal of accumulated sediment.  Research

has shown that  the highest sediment yields are usually observed during the

first 6-month period after mining.  Filling of sediments in the  basin reduces

its capacity to  retain runoff long enough for  sediment to be deposited before

it is carried downstream.  Many States  have established criteria for sediment

removal from the basin.  A rule of thumb that can be used is to clean out

a basin when it has reach 50 percent of its sediment storage capacity, or
                                                                     I/
6 months after the mining operation was started,  whichever  comes first.

In the design for storage  capacity of a sediment basin,  provisions should

be made to  accumulate enough sediment to permit the pond to function for

a reasonable period between cleanings.

    For small  sediment traps used near the mining activity,  cleaning  is

generally best  accomplished by dragline and truck transport, since this

equipment is readily available. Removed material can  be stockpiled directly

on the banks, and allowed to dewater before being hauled away, or it

can be buried in the mine pit.

    For large containment basins that cannot be cleaned by draglines

operating from the banks, the cleaning becomes  more difficult. In such

cases,  the  services of professionals experienced in the handling and

Disposition of  sediment should ;jo reta-nod.

 1/  This example has been taken from information dealing with  coal mining
 """"   in the Eastern United States; this  specific  rule of thumb  may  therefore
     not be directly applicable tc other  mineral  categories  or  to mining
     conducted  in other parts of the country.  Regulations promulgated
     under P.L. 95-87 (30 CFR ^5.17(e)(5))  require sediment  removal when
     accumulation reaches SOX of storage  volume.

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                                   4-54






Sediment Disposal




    Sediment disposal is an integral part of the sediment removal program




from a containment basin.  Indiscriminate piling or dumping of removed




material is more likely to allow sediment to reenter the surface drainage




system during successive storms, and thus bscome a pollutant again.




The sediment removal operation must also consider the stable dispostion




of the material removed from the basin.   Where disposal of a  small




quantity of sediment is involved, it can be disposed of behind a protective




berm or grass filter strip, or buried in the mine pit.  For  larger quantities




of sediment,  special provisions should be made either to bury  it in an




area designated for this  purpose, or to stockpile,  do water,  and vegetate




it properly.

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                               4-55






              CONTROL PRINCIPLE NO 16
USE TEM PORA RY  START LIZ AT
         Use temporary stabilization and control measures



          when transitory conditions are created during



         conduct of mine -related industrial operations,




          which present a significant water pollutio.i hazard,



          including those created during- psriods of inactivity

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                                   4-56

                                 EXAMPLE


          TEMPORARY STABILIZATION  OK SEGREGATED TOPSOIL

                           IN SURFACE MINING


 Taken from: "Environmental Protection Performance Standards."
 Public Law 95-87.  Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act of
 1977,  Section .r>15(b)(5).  August J. 1977.


      "General performance standards shall be applicable to all surface

coal mining and reclamation operations and shall require the operation

as a minimum to remove the topsoil from the  land in a separate layer,

replace it on the backfill area, or, if not utilized immediately, segregate

it in a separate  pile from other spoil and, when the topsoil is not replaced

on a backfill area within a time short  enough to avoid deterioration of

the topsoil,  maintain a successful cover by  quick growing  plant or other

means thereafter so that the topsoil is preserved from wind and water

erosion, remains free  of any  contamination by other acid or toxic material,

and is  in a useable condition for  sustaining vegetation  when restored during

reclamation, except if  topsoil is of insufficient quantity or of poor quality

for sustaining vegetation, or if other strata can be shown to be more

suitable for vegetation  requirements,  then the operation shall  remove,

segregate, and preserve in a  like manner such other strata which is best

able to support vegetation. "

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                                4-57





                  CONTROL PRINCIPLE NO. 17
PREVENT AND CONTROL POLLUTION AFTER CLOSE DOWN OR
                      ABANDONMENT
          Close down,  remove or abandon all structural




          measures, facilities and areas affected by




          mine-related industrial operations upon




          completion of activity  so as to prevent or control




          long term postoperational  surface  water and




          ground water pollution.

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                                 4-58
        MINE HAUL ROAD STABILIZATION UPON ABANDONMENT
Taken from:  "Abandonment of Haulage way. " West Virginia Department
of Natural Resources Surface Mining Reclamation Regulations,  Chapter
20-6, Series  VII, Section 5.16.   1971.
      "Upon abandonment of a haulageway, the haulageway shall be

seeded and every effort made to prevent erosion by means of culverts,

water bars and other devices. "

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                            CHAPTER 5. 0




                  ABANDONED SOURCE ABATEMENT








r>. 1 Introduction




    EPA has published a report entitled "Criteria For Developing Pollution




Abatement Programs For Inactive and Abandoned Mine Sites," (EPA-440/9-




75-008, August 1975),  which describes organizational, financial, and legal




considerations involved in implementing a water pollution abatement program




i'or abandoned sources.  It also discusses technical approaches to collecting



mine-related water quality data,  conducting mine source inventories,  and




identifying control needs and priorities.




    Abandoned mine-related sources include abandoned surface and




underground mines for all mined mineral commodities, attendant waste




and tailings piles, roads, storage areas and related primary processing




areas, and in place pollutants accumulated in aquifers or deposited  in




earlier years in streambeds and lake-bods.




    The most important aspect of WQM for abandoned mine-related sources




will frequently be the program implementation  requirements,  rather than




the technical engineering aspects.   Legal,  institutional,  and financial




arrangements hold the  key to progress and success of abatement programs




more often than engineering studies and water quality data.




     Information defining the nature and extent of water quality and




beneficial water use impacts,  and technical options and costs of abatement




controls,  must be available in order to justify  and to gain  support for




development of an abatement program with an adequate legal, institutional




and financial foundation,  and to provide an accurate estimate of the total




cost of needed abatement efforts.

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                                  5-2






     In those instances where pollution abatement programs for abandoned




mines already exist,  the adequacy of these programs should be objectively




evaluated within the WQM program context.   Plans for modifying existing




program objectives,  scope,  scheduling and organization should be




developed as needed to achieve water  quality  goals and to  protect beneficial




water uses.



     Abatement programs and active regulatory control  systems should be




coordinated to clearly assign the responsibility for preventing and controlling




continuing surface water and/or ground water pollution  from future inactive




and abandoned mines. Any further growth in adverse water quality and




beneficial use impacts from abandoned sources should either be precluded




entirely or be recognized and planned deliberately.




     Most reclamation projects on  abandoned  mined lands  have dealt with




coal mine-related sources, but some  States have also dealt with sand




and gravel, clay, stone, phosphate, copper,  gold, and other mineral




subcategories.   Expanding abatement  programs to deal  with abandoned




sources from all mineral subcategories,  including oil and gas wells, is




consistent with the  control mandate of the WQM program.




     When implementation is to be  undertaken by an organization other




than the planning agency itself,  the WQM agency should involve the




implementation agency at the earliest possible date in its  program




development effort.   This early involvement  is particularly appropriate




if the WQM agency  is unfamiliar with  the highly technical  engineering




aspects of the program.  Abatement strategies and control alternatives




proposed  by an implementation agency participating directly with a vVQM




agency would have to be responsive to WQM program goals  for pollution




load reduction and beneficial water use protection and restoration.

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                                  5-3






5. 2  Abatement Program Tasks



     Definitions of current, new, inactive, abandoned, orphaned and pre-law



mines and mineral extraction and processing operations sites will vary



with applicable laws and institutional arrangements.  Abandoned mines



and supporting facilities generally are those that are no longer owned



and/or intended for continuing mineral production by the mining industry.



Inactive mines and supporting facilities are usually not currently producing



but are expected to operate when mineral prices, extraction technology,



or other  mineral industrial conditions become favorable.  Inactive operations




owned by private citizens,  governmental authorities,  industries or Indian




tribes probably will be treated quite differently because of legal con-



siderations  and abilities of the various groups to assume pollution control



responsibilities.   Abatement or control of pollution at inactive mines




must be  arranged at the State and local level among WQM agencies, mine




source owners,  affected citizens, and other responsible government agency



officials.




     IV.ajor steps involved in  State and areawide abatement program



development follow:




WQM Task  - Define objectives for the abatement program.



                  Both short and long term objectives should be developed.




                  vVater quality improvement objectives normally will be




                  integrated with other desirable goals  related to aesthetics,



                  economic development,  land use, land productivity,




                  public safety, terrestial ecology and correction of other




                  adverse  environmental impacts. Objectives  should be




                  consistent with and supportive of wildlife management




                  plans and programs applicable to each jurisdiction.

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                     5-4






WQM effort logically should emphasize .direct abatement



 of water pollution.  The task of ameliorating all adverse



 environmental impacts from abandoned mine-related




 sites is a much larger undertaking than controlling only



 the most serious water quality and beneficial use impacts.



 Abatement  programs must be integrated with other



 objectives  (aesthetics, etc. ) in order to gain adequate




 public and political support; but, at a given level of



 effort,  the  greatest improvement in water quality will



 obviously be achieved through concentration on the




 objective of water  pollution control.






 As stated in Chapter 2.0, revised Water Quality  Standards



 should  adequately cover all significant pollutants from



 abandoned mine sites.   Critical design flow conditions



 should  reflect the conditions in receiving waters  in which



 mine-related pollutants pose the most serious threat to




 water quality goals and beneficial water uses.






 Technical information  often may not be available for reliable



 quantitative estimation of nonpoint source pollution load



 contributions, modeling of instream effects,  and determination



 of beneficial use impacts.  Abatement efforts nevertheless



 should  be launched on judgments of  pollution  severity and



 abatement measure cost effectiveness. Abatement measures



 should  be implemented for abandoned mine-related sources




 whose uncontrolled pollutant contributions interfere with




 achievement of water quality goals and beneficial water uses.

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                                  5-5






WQM Task  -  Examine  existing legal and institutional arrangements for




              abandoned mine pollution abatement.




                 New institutional, legal, and financial arrangements




                 should be proposed where existing abatement programs




                 are not adequate to achieve  WQM program goals.




WQM Task  -  Select one or more implementation agencies to participate




              with the  WQM agency in developing and implementing an




              abandoned source abatement program.




                 Legal constraints related to land ownership and mineral




                 rights patterns, as well as other social and economic




                 distinctions,may dictate separate institutional




                 arrangements and abatement program efforts for




                 dealing with pollution abatement on Federal property,




                 State  property, local government holdings, industrial




                 lands, private ownerships and  Indian lands.






     When a WQM agency selects another agency or agencies to participate




in an effort to develop an abatement program, wide latitude exists for




making joint funding and work program arrangements.  Ultimate  responsi-




bility and control of the WQM asp2cts of the program  development effort




should rest with the WQM agency.




     It may be best for the  WQM agency to handle some o' the remaining




abatement program tasks,  while other tasks may be accomplished through




a-i implementation  agency that has more  technical expertise  in abandoned



mine pollution abatement.




     The program tasks that  follow may be accomplished either by  WQM




agencies, by implementation agencies, or by qualified contractors under




their separate or joint direction:

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                                  5-6






WQM Task  -  Investigate legal problems and alternative solutions.




                 In investigating legal issues, the responsibility for




                 abatement funding in each class of inactive or abandoned




                 mined land must bo determined.  Decisions must be




                 made as to whether private landowners, the  mining




                 industry, taxpayers,  or which one of the various levels




                 of government will bear the cost of abatement.  One  of
                    ft



                 the legal issues  requiring resolution may include




                 conflicts between surface owners and mineral rights




                 holders.






                 Landowners and industries should be encouraged and




                 offered incentives to become involved in voluntary and




                 cooperative abatement projects.  Industries should be




                 encouraged to reaffect previously mined lands as a  part




                 of the abatement program. Existing laws at  the local,




                 regional, State and Federal levels requiring pollution




                 control by landowners, former mine operators,  and




                 present mine  operators should be used to the limits




                 of cqjity before  new legislation is proposed  to abate



                 pollutioa from abandoned  mines.  Legal and  institutional




                 issues involved in mine-related VVQIM are discussed




                 in "Legal and Institutional Approaches to Water Quality




                 Management Planning and Implementation,''  EPA




                 Contract Report No. 68-01-3564, March 1977.






WQ1V1 Task  - Identify funding sources and  arrange funding mechanisms for




              mine-related pollution abatement.

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                             5-7



           Funds available for various types of abatement projects



           at local, State and Federal levels should be determined.



           Potential funding sources for planning tasks and data




           acquisition should be sought as well as for actual mine-



           related source abatement and construction work.




Task   - Identify and describe principles, processes, methods,




        procedures, measures, and techniques for abatement of




        pollution from abandoned mine-related sources, which




        interfere with achievement of water quality goals and




        beneficial water uses.






        The term Best Management Practices has a different meaning




        and carries with it different connotations, when applied to




        abandoned sources  than when applied to current sources.  Pro-



        cedural methods and preventive measures could normally not be



        applied to an abandoned source; by  definition no mine-related




        activities or operations are being conducted at abandoned



        source locations wherein preventive or procedural BMP's



        could be applied.  Some mitigating  control practices which



         are applied to current sources might be applied to  abandoned




         sources, but only with modifications reflecting all  of the




         physical,  institutional, legal and financial distinctions.






         Table 5.1 illustrates the range of mine drainage pollution



         abatement and control techniques identified in a study of




         acid mine drainage performed under the auspices of the




         Appalachian Regional Commission  (ARC) in 1969.






         Abatement technique comparisons  and study efforts similar




         to this one are required for each type of abandoned mine-related

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                                                                           TABU: 5.1
                                            MINE DRAINAGE POLLUTION AFIATEMKNT AND CONTROL TECHNIQUES
Type'
Surface Land Reclamation
Mine Entry Sealing
Drainage Diversion
Impoundment
Refuse Pile Reclamation
Underground Grouting
Revegclalion
Inert Ga« Blanket
Microbiologic Iron and
Suifate Removal
Sterilisation
Application Characteristics
Abatement Mine Type' Mine Drainage
Category' Description Surface 1 'nrlergr/mnfJ Cl.i«*
** 1 The grading of earth, the construction of water ditches and rcvegctation of ground
disturbed bv excavation of the surface. A I — —
** 1 and 4 The placement of barriers in openings from underground mines exposed to the
surface to constrain the movement of air or water. ~ ~ ~ '
** 1 The channeling of surface waters or mine waters to control volume, direction and
contact lime. A 1 A I '23 4
** 1 The physical restriction of waters within an isolated area of an underground or
I 1 *} 'i 'i
surface mine. - ' '
** ] The burial or covering and revegplajion of the discarded waste rock from mining. -^ ' A I
** 1 and 4 The placement of a sealant on the surface or into the subsurface to constrain the
movement of air and water in an underground mine, e.g., the pouring of concrete 0
which would seal after reaching subsurface. — _ -1
** 1 The planting of grasses, legumes or tree? upon the surface of areas disturbed or altered
by excavation or dumping during mining. A 1 —
I The placement and retention within an underground mine of a ga« that is not reactive o '» 1
in the acid mine drainage forming process. ~ ~
1 The use of living organisms to actively reduce acid mine drainage contaminants. — ' A 1
1 The use of toxic materials to destroy or retard living organisms nrhve in the acid
Microbiological Control

Internal Scaling


Resource Removal

Neutralization

Flash Distillation
           mine drainage formitig process.

 1          The use of living organisms against each other to retard the action of those which
           are active in the acid mine drainage forming process.
. 1 and 4   The isolation or constraint of underground mine waters by the placement of barriers
           we,!! within the depths of underground mines.

 1         The extraction of all coal, and the burying and sealing of toxic producing strata.

 2         The process of chemically counteracting the polluting effects of acid mine drainage.

 2         The rapid evaporation of acid mine drainage and the rrlirjiiefication of the remaining
           fluid, free of residual  contaminants.
1234

1234
                                                                                                                                                                     i
                                                                                                                                                                     OC
                                                                                                                                      A   J

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                                                                       T \HI.K  5.1  (Continued)
                                             MINE UKAl.N.UiE POLLUTION ABATEMENT AM) CONTROL TECHNIQUES
Type'
Reverse Osmosis **
Ion Exchange
Desulphating
Sulfide Iron Removal
Electrodialysis
Permanganate Iron Removal
Regulated Pumping **
Stream Flow Regulation **
Deep Well Injection ••
Abatement
Category2 Description
2 The passage through a selective membrane of the liquid portion of acid mine drainage
thereby freeing it from a major portion of the residual contaminants.
2 The passage of acid mine drainage among reactive particles that selectively retain
residual contaminants while the remaining liquid passes through.
2 The use of living organisms that thrive on metabolic processes that destroy sulfate,
which is a major residual contaminant of mine drainage.
2 The precipitation of iron from acid mine drainage with the addition of selectively
reactive sulfide compounds. *
2 The passage of acid mine drainage through an electrically charged selective membrane
allowing the passage of liquid thus freeing it from residual contaminants with the
appropriate electrical resistance to passage.
2 The precipitation of iron from acid mine drainage with the addition of an agent that
oxidizes the iron.
1 and 3 The discharge of acid mine drainage at volumes, rates, times and locations so that the
contaminating effects will be minimized.
3 The containment and release of stream waters at volumes, rates, times and locations
so that the contaminating effect will be minimized.
4 The placement of acid mine drainage or its altered product into the subsurface
through a vertical drilled hole.
Application Characteristics
Mine Type3 Mine Drainage
Surface Underground Class4
A I A I 13
A I A I 3
A I A I 3
A I A I 124
A I A I 3
A I A I 124
A I A I 1234
A I A I 1234
A I A I 1234
1 I'rui-licul Range of Abatement Techniques i= designated with **.

1 I.  At-source control, by prevention or reduction of the rate of pollution formation.
 2.  The treatment of polluted waters.
 it.  The planned dispersion or dilution of pollutants.
 4-.  The permanent containment or isolation of polluted waters.

3 \ = Active; mines and areas in use for mining.
 1 = Inactive; closed or abandoned mines or portions of active mines not in use.

4 Mine Drainage Class: Numbers refer to classification in Table 2.
                                                                                                                                                                     en
                                                                                                                                                                     i

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                    5-10



related source or source subcategory contributing to



surface water and ground water pollution.






Control techniques  should be classified according to the




specific pollutants which each has been developed to




prevent or reduce.   Techniques also must be further



classified by their pro/en effectiveness and applicability



fo~ practical field use.   These classifications may include:




   1.  Techniques whose effectiveness and applicability



      are well demonstrated;



   2.   Techniques whose effectiveness and applicability



      are supported by limited field demonstration;




   3.   Techniq.i33 currently being demonstrated; and




   4.   Techniques currently under conceptual development.



The 1989 ARC coal  mine drainage study stated that "There



a:~e some 24 techniques, which can be used singly  or in




combination, for the abatement and  control of acid coal



mine drainage.  Of these, fewer than  one-half have been



either  sufficiently tested or applied  to allow an  appraisal



of their practicality for use in defined situations.






Mine-related source conditions under which each  control




technique is  utilized most appropriately as well as the




range of conditions  across which the technique  remains



effective should be  defined.






In those cases  where effective at-source  control techniques




for a specific source subcategory are unknown, control




measures can sometimes be borrowed from other  similar




situations found in other segments of the  minerals industry.

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                                  5-11






              Alternatively, the hydrological,  physical and chemical



              elements of the problem can be studied and remedies



              proposed,  or investigative research efforts launched to




              study the problem and to develop and test solutions. Direct



              treatment of abandoned source discharges or treatment of



              affected streams should be evaluated as one control alternative.




WQM Task  - Determine the relative costs of available pollution  abatement



              techniques.



                 Variation in application costs across the range of site



                 conditions under which each techniqae is applied should  be



                 considered, as well as any continuing operating and mainten-




                 ance costs,  such as those  associated with direct treatment.



WQM Task  - Determine the effectiveness of abatement techniques used



              singly or in  combination for control of abandoned mine-related



              pollutant contributions.




                 If quantitative field data are lacking,  percent load



                 reductions should be estimated for various techniques,



                 combinations  of techniques, and mine-related source




                 conditions.  The number of techniques which can be



                 applied to abate a specific mine-related  source is



                 usually very limited; the choice of alternatives  is often




                 confined  to only one or two options.  Greater flexibility



                 and a widsr range of alternatives exists  in scheduling




                 and establishing priorities for  abatement than for techni-




                 que selection. Source conditions frequently  dictate use




                 of a  specific technique or combination o^ measures to




                 achieve a significant reduction in the pollutant  load.

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                                  5-12






WQM Task  - Evaluate the cost effectiveness of alternative abatement




              techniques and of abatement of sources within different




              watersheds and mine-related source subcategories.




                 Examination of cost effectiveness permits comparisons




                 of both alternative techniques and abatement program




                 actions.   Since so few abatement alternatives exist




                 at each  specific mine site,  cost effectiveness is likely




                 to be more important for selecting among abatement




                 projects for different individual mine-related sources,




                 or for dealing with different source subcategories




                 on a watershed basis than for choosing among alternative




                 abatement techniques for any  one source.






                 Benefits derived from restoration of polluted waters to




                 a condition permitting higher  uses,  including propagation




                 of fish,  shellfish, and wildlife,  should be  estimated.




WQM Task  - Collect and analyze socio-economic  information for




              establishing watershed and mine-related source pollution




              abatement priorities.




                 Factors taken into  consideration might include  population,




                 economic need, development  demand, aesthetics, and




                 land values  and uses.




WQM Task  - Determine priorities for watershed and mine-related source




              pollution abatement.




                 Priorities should be established primarily on the basis




                 of how much of an improvement in beneficial surface




                 water and ground water uses  can be predicted to result




                 from taking abatement action, the cost of such action,

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                  5-13



and the importance attached to achieving such uses.



Schedules for pollution abatement in each subprogram



area should strongly reflect abatement priorities.





Other factors which must be considered include the



future  possibility of reprocessing mine wastes and



tailings, the remining of previously affected sites, and



the presence of mine-related sources for which abate-



ment techniques currently are unknown or lack sufficient



testing. Abatement efforts can be directly tied to water



quality improvement through planning conducted on a



watershed or ground water hydrologic  unit basis. This



insures that the combined influence of all mine-related



sources,  including the effectiveness of proposed abate-



ment measures,  will be taken into account in predicting



improvements.  The  effect of current mines,  new mines,



and future inactive mines on water quality should also



be considered.  New  source WQM efforts  are  discussed



in Chapter 6. 0. The physical and biological recovery



potential of severely polluted streams and degraded



ground waters will influence the advisability of taking



abatement actions.





Separate abatement subprograms may be established for



Federal lands, State lands, Indian lands, lands to be



purchased by the State and reclaimed,  industry abatement



programs, industry/State voluntary eoopo^iti/e efforts,



private citizen coop^ritive efforts with State and Federal



agencies,  and property acquisition arvl abatement efforts

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                                  5-14






                by local government.  Because of differences in legal




                responsibilities of landowners, mineral claims holders,




                current and former  mine operators, etc.,  distinctions are




                likely between pre-law mine operations and operations conduct-




                ed under previous State,  local, or Federal control programs.






                Responsibility should be assigned for control of pollution




                from current and from new mine-related sources  after




                abandonment.  "Mine-related source closure and mine shut-




                down procedures may not adequately prevent these sources




                from continuing to cause pollution.  Failure to assign




                responsibility for postoperations pollution control may




                result in defacto assumption of liability by government.




WQ1V1 Task  - Develop alternative subplans for control of water pollution




              from abandoned mine-related sources.




                 Alternative  pollution abatement subplans  for abandoned




                 mines  should include (1) an estimate  of the  best reduction




                 levels  achievable from all sources; and (2) the most




                 practicable  program that the WQM agency can accomplish.




                 The  most practicable subplan should reflect the WQM




                 agency's current appreciation for technical, legal,




                 financial, and institutional constraints.






                 In those instances where wide disparity exists between




                 the best achievable and the currently practicable  subplans,




                 at least one other alternative  should be developed.  This




                 subplan should define an abatement program that  would




                 permit substantial progress in restoration  of beneficial

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                 5-15






water uses through pollutant load reduction,  and




the scope of legal,  institutional and financial




arrangements which would be necessary to carry




it out (recognizing that such arrangements may




not be easily made).






The practicable abatement subplan must attain




at least the same level of continuing achievement




as any existing abatement program(s),  and,  in




addition,  make provision for positive but still




realistic program expansions and improvements.






A  limited environmental assessment should  be  made




of each proposed subplan.   The subplan's  contribution




to improving water quality  and beneficial water uses,




as  well as the economic impacts on industry, private




citizens and various  levels of government should be




emphasized.






Work performance schedules should be set for  a




20 year period in 5 year increments with corresponding




estimates of surface water and ground water quality




improvement tied to  scheduled abatement program




accomplishments.   Predictions of water quality improve-




ment from abatement of existing abandoned  mine-related




sources must be integrated with water quality  data




having  to do with current sources, new sources, and




future abandoned sources.

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                                  5-16






VVQM Task  - Compare abandoned mine-related loads and/or impacts




              on beneficial water uses with other nonpoint source pollu-




              tant load contributions and impacts, and with the gross




              allotments for nonpoint source pollutants on water quality




              limited segments where allotments have been prepared.




WQM Task  - Select a source abatement subplan(s) for abandoned mines.




                 EPA states in its WQM planning guidance that "No




                 rigorous analytical method exists which will  readily




                 identify the best plan for the area. .  . while some of




                 the factors. . . can be quantified, others can only be




                 qualitatively assessed based upon professional judg-




                 ment, and toe views of the public. "






    The implications of the selected subplan for. and  its interrelationships




with,  current mining,  new mining and other nonpoint  and point source




control subplans must be  taken into account as a part of the overall




WQM plan selection process.  Inter-state,  inter-area and other inter-




jurisdictional coordination should also be accomplished.






    The source control subplan that is chosen should permit attainment




of water quality goals  and restoration and protection of beneficial water




uses.  Specific geographic areas should be identified  where goals are




unattainable.  Established procedures must be followed to seek exception




to designation of national goal water uses  (fishable, swimmable waters)




in any water quality limited segment because of abandoned mine-related




pollutant contributions.

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                                  5-17






    Exceptions to national goal use designations might be sought in




situations where direct treatment of abandoned source discharges or




affected streams  is shown  not to  be practicable,  and where:  (1) abatement



measures or techniques for reducing current levels of abandoned mine-




related pollution have not been developed; and (2) projected levels of




water quality improvement, following application of known abatement




measures and techniques,  are predicted to be inadequate to achieve national




goal water uses and  restore beneficial uses.



    In-stream treatment has been used, but only rarely by some States



to correct and abate otherwise insoluable pollution impacts;  continuing




operating and maintenance costs  using direct treatment can be burdensome.




The continued validity of each case of exception to  national goal water




use designation because of abandoned mine pollution should be reviewed



every three years as a part of the Water Quality Standards review  process.




WQM Task  -  Perform an environmental assessment of the  selected




              abandoned source  abatement subplan.



                 The  environmental assessment for the selected subplan



                 should be prepared in greater detail than previously



                 accomplished for each alternative subplan  and include




                 a wider range of social,  economic and broader environ-




                 mental impacts.  EPA's guidance document "Environmental




                 Assessment of Water Quality Management  Plans, " October



                 1976, contains  further discussion of this topic.






5. 3  Abatement Program Implementation



    In implementing abatement programs and in actually accomplishing




abatement projects,  a series  of tasks should be repeated.  The task sequence




is described below:

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                                  5-18






WQM Task  - Conduct watershed feasibility studies for source




              abatement in highest priority areas.




                 The  watershed feasibility study involves a more




                 intensive survey within a priority watershed.  The




                 purpose is to develop a specific abatement plan




                 for a defined surface water drainage area or ground




                 water recharge zone.






                 Recommendation of a specific abatement plan is the




                 final step prior to initiating the engineering  design




                 projects for abatement of particular pollution sources.




                 The  watershed feasibility study may be considered




                 either  as the last and most detailed stage of the WQM




                 process done by or through the  WQM agency, or as




                 the first stage  of the actual implementation process




                 done by the management agency.






                 The feasibility study involves most of the major steps




                 found in the identification and assessment process




                 described in Chapter 2. 0 and the selection of controls




                 process described in Chapter 3. 0, but at a level of




                 specific detail  necessary to define the scope, purpose




                 and objectives  of actual engineering design projects




                 for abatement of individual sources.




WQM Task  - Perform engineering design for abatement  projects and




              carry out the  required field work,  reclamation, and




              construction efforts.

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                                  5-19






WQM Task  - Monitor post-abatement water quality and biological




              recovery to determine and assess water quality and




              beneficial use improvements achieved through abatement




              project work.



                 Post-abatement monitoring information is needed to




                 document the effectiveness of applied abatement




                 measures.  This information  may influence estimates




                 of cost effectiveness and the choice  of pollution control




                 techniques for other sources.  To properly gauge the




                 long-term effects,  chemical and biological monitoring




                 may be conducted for five or more years following




                 application of abatement measures.   Reworking of




                 abandoned tailings and other mine-related wastes may




                 sometimes cause temporary increases in pollution




                 levels because  of exposure of new material to oxidation




                 and weathering processes.  Ground water contamination




                 problems may also be slow to improve following




                 accomplishment of abatement efforts and may require




                 relatively longer monitoring periods for proper docu-




                 mentation of improvements.

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                             CHAPTER 6. 0




             NEW SOLRCE POLLUTION CONTROL PLANNING








6. 1 New Source WQM Program Requirements




     \VQ]\' planning for new mine-related water  pollution sources is




required of WQTU agencies under Part 1,'U of EPA's Rules and Regulations,




"Preparation of Water Quality Management Plans. "




     The  WQI\' planning requirements cited in Subpart 131. 10(g) of the




regulations which relate most directly to future-oriented planning are:




     1.  Water quality assessment and segment classification;




     2.   Inventories and projections;




     :•].   Nonpoint source assessment;




     4.   Industrial  waste treatment system needs; and




     5.   Nonpoint source control needs.




Pollution  control planning efforts  conducted by State and areawide WQM




agencies which are related to new  sources of water pollution from new




mine-related industrial operations will fall into  one of two categories:




(1) routine new source planning; or (2) major new development planning.




     Consideration of routine new  point and nonpoint mine-related sources



will be a standard component of all WQ1\1 programs.  Routine new source




\VQM planning  involves projecting  the impacts of ongoing,  mine-related




pollution sources on water quality  and beneficial water  uses for the  20




year planning period.   This projection is accomplished largely by extra-




polating current trends, and the operation of existing control systems




or of proposed control system alternatives into  future years.




     WQT\1 planning for major new expansions, developments or other




initiatives of mine-related industries,  however,  will only be appropriate

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                                   6-2






within those relatively few jurisdictions that anticipate large-scale




increases or changes  in the character  of current mine-related industries.




The need to conduct an effective planning effort will be most urgent  and




demanding in those areas where major new  initiatives are expected




during the first five-year planning period (1979-1983).  The need for such




new source planning will be less critical (and  initially of somewhat  lower




priority) in those cases  where significant new developments are  not




expected before 1983.  Routine new source planning  still will have to be




conducted in most areas where major new development planning  is




needed.  For example, the need to examine  future impacts from sand




and gravel,  stone quarrying and other  common variety operations will




still exist in areas anticipating major new coal,  lignite,  oil, gas, oil




shale, geothermal, phosphate or other mineral industrial developments.




     The most important distinction between the  routine and the  major




development planning  orientations  is the  different basis each one must




use for water  quality problem recognition and control strategy development.




In routine planning,  the  biggest part of problem  recognition and control




design is predicated on the known impacts of current and recently com-




pleted mine-related operations on  water  quality  and the documented




effectiveness of existing control systems in  preventing and controlling




these pollutant contributions.  In new development planning, on the  other




hand, problems which presently may not exist will often have to  be




anticipated, and appropriate control systems developed on the basis of




potential impacts from projected mine-related operations.   Planning




for major new mine-related industrial  developments also will often




involve projecting secondary  associated growth impacts that may

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                                  6-3
result in substantial increases in municipal and other industrial point




source and nonpoint source loads.




     Continuing water quality management  and WQM planning processes




for new mine-related sources are discussed in Chapter 7.0.






6. 2  1'ollution Control Planning for Routine New Sources




     WQM planning for new mine-related sources will be a part of




virtually all WQM programs.   Routine new source planning should be




accomplished  simultaneously using a similar sequence of tasks  with




current and abandoned mine-related WQM efforts (see Chapters 2. 0,




3. 0 and 5.0).




     The initial definition of control/management system needs in




Chapter 1.0,  Section 1. 3, involved an examination of past, present




and future mine-related industrial operations within the planning area.




In the majority of instances, distinctions between requirements for




routine new source planning (described in this Section) and for  major




new development planning (described in  Section 6. 3) can be  made on



the  basis of information readily available to WQM advisory committees,




from  sources  such as:  (1) mining industry  representatives;  (2) State




Geological Survey; (3) State Bureau of Mines; (4) U. S. U. I. Geological




Survey; and (5 ) U. S. D. I. Bureau of Mines.




     Each of the  major identification and assessment tasks presented in




Chapter 2. 0 and the majority of the current source  control tasks presented




in Chapter 3.0 should be performed.   Routine new source WQM tasks




include:

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                                  6-4






WQM Task  - Subcategorize mine-related sources.




              All new mine-related industrial operations which are




              expected to be active within the 20 year planning period,




              but especially within the first 5 years of that period,  should




              be recognized as potential pollution source subcategories




              for which advance control planning should be initiated.




WQM Task  - Review Water Quality  Standards.




              Water Quality Standards should include as criteria all those




              specific pollutant parameters associated with new mine-




              related point and nonpoint source  subcategories.






              Integration of biological indices and criteria  into revised




              Water Quality Standards may help to gauge impacts of




              nonpoint source  pollutants on aquatic life.






              State governments should also  review their anti-degradation




              policies, particularly  in relation to the gradual degradation




              of existing high quality and Xational resource waters  and




              sole source aquifers.  Over a period of years,  degradation




              may occur as a result  of some  forms of extensive mining




              and other mineral industrial activities.  Such degradation can




              occur even when all mine-related  operations  are conducted




              under an established permit control system.  Water pollution,




              which occurs in spite of operation of a control system, most




              often can be traced  to a lack of rigorous enforcement combined




              with the technical limitations of the best available preventive




              measures  and control practices, with  emphasis  on the former.

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                                   6-5






WQ1V1 Task  - Projection of future mine-related sources.



              As a part of the inventory and projection effort required




              to comply with Part 131. ll(c)(l) of EPA's  published Rules



              and Regulations, the extent of new mine-related sources



              should be projected through the 20 year WQIV1 planning



              period.  At a minimum, the anticipated number of new




              point and nonpoint sources of each type and/or  the extent




              of affected area should be estimated.   The number of




              previously mined areas that could be reaffected by the




              mining industry is  an important factor in predicting  future




              water quality impacts,  as is the number  and extent of




              future.1  inactive and abandoned sites.  The implications of




              predicted growth in oilier municipal and  industrial cate-



              gories which influence  demand for mineral commodities



              may help in estimating future levels of activity in some




              mine -related industrial subcategories .   For example,  once



              estimates of future growth in road, housing and other



              construction activities  are estimated,  the quantities of



              locally mined  and processed sand and gravel,  and  crushed




              stone? from rock quarries needed for these projects also



              can be estimated.






              \umerical estimates of new sources within each surface




              watershed or ground water  recharge zone should be




              prepared as a part of routine projection  efforts.  If




              mining is not central to the WQA! program no need exists



              to investigate  detailed location of recoverable mineral

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                     6-6






deposits and specific development sites.  However,




economic geology information showing the general




drainage areas where new mineral industrial activity will




take place should be used.  Also,  any available information




concerning relative pollution hazards associated with




different future sources should be integrated into the




projection. This information may include geochemical,




hydrological or topographic  data from areas of anticipated




future mine-related activity.  Exhaustive studies of economi-




cally recoverable mineral deposits,  mineral rights  and




surface rights ownership are more appropriate for \VQM




planning for major new developments than for modest




routine planning  efforts.






A/line-related  activity projections, even when highly




generalized, can be useful for identifying potential control




needs.  Kor example, assume that a given jurisdiction




includes 100 active and 200 inactive or abandoned mineral




industrial operations sites.  Also, assume that:  (l)the




average site remains active  for 5 years; (2) 20 new  sites




open each year (assuming ready availability of new mineral




development sites); and  (3) 20 currently operating sites are




abandoned  or become inactive each year.  Under these




conditions,  at the end of a 20 year planning  period,  100




sites would still be actively operating,  while the antici-




pated number  of inactive or abandoned operations sites




would have grown from 100 to 500.

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                                  6-7






              The level of detail used in new mine-related source



              projection will depend on how sophisticated  an analysis




              is planned for assessing water qualty impacts and




              evaluating control needs.



WQM Task  - Perform water quality and nonpoint source assessment



              and segment classification.



              Part 131.11(b){l) of EPA's Rules and Regulations states



              that one of the elements which "shall be included in each




              water quality management plan .  . .  [is] an assessment




              of existing and potential water quality problems within




              the approved planning area or designated areawide




              planning area, including the types and degree of problems




              and the sources of pollutants (both point and nonpoint sources)



              contributing to the problem. " Mine-related industrial new




              source projections should be used as the  basis for predicting




              water quality and beneficial water use impacts.  One of



              the first tasks involves recognizing  specific water pollutants



              and hydrologic impacts likely to ba associated with each



              projected type of mine-related industrial operation.  The




              amount of emphasis on quantification of pollutant loads



              likely will be relatively low, particularly from mine-related




              nonpoint sources. Recognition of the need  for quantitative



              load estimates will be tempered by both the reliability of




              available prediction methods and the amount of pre-operations




              planning effort which  is likely to be accomplished  for each




              new source prior to its activation under existing or proposed




               regulatory controls.  In  addition to  State and local p?rmit

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                     6-8






 requirements, environmental impact statements or




 assessments may be prepared by EPA for some new NPDES




 permits in compliance with the requirements of NEPA.






 In classifying drainage segments as either "water quality



 limited" or as "effluent limited",  vVQM agencies must



 recognize future pollutant loads or load potential, as well




 as existing loads.  Part 131. ll(b)(2)(ii) of EPA's Rules and



 Regulations  states that, "Water quality problems generally



 shall be described in terms of existing or potential violations of




 water quality standards. "  In addition to violations of standards,




 potential degradation is also an important concern.  Part




 130. 17(e)(2)of EPA's Rules and Regulations states  that



 "Existing high quality waters which exceed those levels




 necessary to support propagation of fish,  shellfish and wildlife




 and recreation in and on the water shall be maintained and




 protected unless the State chooses ... to allow lower water



 quality [but still  without violating vVater Quality Standards) .  . .  .




 Additionally,  no  degradation shall be allowed in high quality




 waters which constitute an outstanding National resource, such




 as waters of National and  State parks and wildlife refuges and




 water  of exceptional recreational and ecological significance.






 Effluent guidelines limitations for new mine-related industrial




 poiijt sources in all mineral subcategories  (including in  some




 cases  "no discharge" requirements) will be useful for estimating




future  point source load contributions. However, volumes of




ilows  will have to be estimated.  Probably the easiest method

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                     6-9





for quantitative projection of future loads is to use the



same method as was used for estimating existing loads



from current and abandoned sources.  The status  of predictive



models for estimating loadings, transport and in-stream



water quality and beneficial use impacts of mine-related



pollutants was discussed briefly in Chapter 2.0, Section



2.2. 6.





Modeling is unlikely to generate absolutely accurate estimates,



but such analyses may at least reflect the potential magnitude



of future problems  and associated  control needs.  The most



realistic projections  of potential loads can be prepared



where future sources are similar to existing sources, and



where models have been appropriately calibrated and verified.





Gross quantitative estimates of future potential pollution loads



or maximum in-stream concentrations may be  developed



from mineral production forecasts or projections.  This



approach would require than an empirical relationship



be established between production  of a given mineral and



attendant potential pollution contributions and impacts.






Impacts of unregulated subcategories, recognized to be



contributing sources  of pollution,  should be estimated.



The cumulative future potential impact of small operations,



which presently may  be excluded from control  may be



in this category.   The cumulative  impact of an increasingly



large number of unregulated sites, which become inactive

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                     6-10






or abandoned over the 20 year planning period,  should




be considered,  as well as any growth in the number or




the extent of active operations across the same period.






If mine-related operations and closedown procedures  could



 be well planned and sufficiently controlled, long-term mine-




 relatod pollutant contributions could approach zero. The




 best available preventive measures and control practices



 (BMP's) are seldom so well chosen and conscientiously



 applied,  but even when this does occur, some level of long-




 term pollutant contribution to surface water and/or ground




 water may still take place. Because of technical limitations,



 such  lingering problems may remain even when BMP's are




 applied.   Kor planning and impact projection purposes,




 if long-term,  mine-related pollution contributions are pre-




 dicted to be nominal (i. e. ,  so extremely low that even




 their cumulative effects are judged  insignificant),  and if



 potential pollutant contributions from post-mining  land



 uses are expected to be large by comparison,  further




 consideration of such inactive or abandoned mine-related




 sites  as contributing mine-related pollution sources may be




 ended, and their contributions neglected.






A  former surface mine supporting native or introduced




tree growth should not automatically be assumed to be




equivalent to a forest in the hydrologic sense. The  water




quality and beneficial water use implications  of proposed




post-mining land uses must be dealt with by appropriate

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                     6-11






administrative linkages to other water pollution control



programs for sources in other categories,  such as agri-




culture,  silviculture,  urban drainage, etc,






The probable future impact of mine-related activities on



water quality is estimated by projecting existing trends and



conditions across the 20 year planning period   A  separate




projection should be attempted for improvements in proposed



control systems that would reduce pollution contributions



from presently existing sources,  near-term future sources,



and more distant future sources.






Planned reductions in pollutant contributions from inactive




and/or  abandoned mine-related sources from  operation of



abatement programs should be factored into the 20 year



water quality projection.






The projection of future  impacts from mine-related activities



should serve as the basis for recognizing potential water



pollution contributions that would require prevention and



control. These potential contributing sources are those




not likely to be adequately controlled, by the existing



system, or by implementation and continued operation of




an earlier proposed control strategy for current sources.






Those components  of the existing, or of the proposed,




control systems projected to be inadequate or ineffective




in dealing with future  pollution sources  should be  specifically

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                                  6-12





              identified and strategies for more effective control and



              management developed.



WQM Task   - Develop alternative control and management system  strategies.



              Technical aspects of alternative strategies for future sources



              should be based on previously identified control methods,



              measures, procedures,  practices and techniques which



              are applicable to each mine-related source subcategory



              (see Chapter 3.0, Section 3.3).  Some experimental  control



              methods which were classified earlier as not yet ready



              for practical application, may be ready  for implementation



              at some point during the 20 year planning period.  Repre-



              sentatives of mine-related industries should provide ideas



              concerning practical control methods and measures to deal



              with anticipated future problems.  The legal prerequisites



              and managerial aspscts and economic implications of



              alternative control strategies should also be examined.



              Some alternatives might involve description of a phased



              series of actions scheduled to take place at specified time



              intervals over the 20 year span.



WQM Task   - Estimate the effectiveness of alternative control strategies.



              The probable effectiveness and  limitations of alternative



              control strategies should be  estimated to aid in comparing



              and selecting subplans.  As described earlier in Chapter 3.0,



              Section 3.3, land use requirements for new mine-related



              sources would be included in a "fully effective" control



              system when permitted mine operations  alternatives,

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                                  6-13

              including a system applying BMP's, are projected to fail

              to meet water quality goals or to adequately protect

              beneficial water uses.

WQM Task  - Select a new source  control subplan.

              The  selected control subplan should be the most effective

              in preventing and controlling all forms of mine -related

              water pollution and adverse beneficial water use impacts

              which can be implemented at either the State or the area-

              wide level.

WQM Task  - Perform an environmental assessment of the chosen new

              mine -related water  pollution control subplan.

              In addition to description of the water quality, beneficial

              use,  and economic implications of implementing a new

              source control subplan, broader social and other environ-

              mental consequences of carrying out the selected subplan

              should be assessed


              The selected new source control subplan should be integrated

              with chosen current and abandoned mine controls and be

              made a part of the complete State  or areawide WQM plan.


6. 3  Pollution Control Planning for Major New Mine-related Industrial
      Developments

      Pollution control plans for major new mine-related industrial developments

projected during the 20 year period, will follow a task sequence similar to

that of routine planning, but with a number of important distinctions.

      Development  planning must consider associated growth in other sectors

 (in population,  housing, industry, utilities, etc.  ) which is likely to accompany

large-scale, mine-related industrial expansion.   This type of planning also

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                                   6-14





 will require greater depth and detail in projection of mine-related industrial



 activities, and may have to deal more thoroughly with antidegradation



 issues than will routine new source planning.   In an area anticipating major



 new mine -related industrial development,  it is also probable that the



 impacts of future water demands (quantity) and hydrologic changes on



 water quality and beneficial uses may require examination.



      Only three of the nine routine new source planning tasks (see Section 6. 2)



 may differ markedly when applied to new development planning.  (These



 tasks  are identified with an asterisk in the following list. )





*WQM Task  - Identify new source subcategories.



              All potential point and nonpoint pollution source subcategories



              associated with major new mine-related developments should



              be recognized.  Potential sources include those which are



              directly mine-related, and those stemming from associated



              growth and development.






              Directly mine-related source subcategories would include



              all contributing sources associated with mineral exploration



              activities, mine development, mineral extraction, mineral



              transport, mineral processing,  mineral storage,  and mineral



              waste disposal.  Sources stemming from associated growth



              and development impacts would include pollutant contri-



              butions from mineral using industries,  utilities, and expanding



              industrial and municipal sources linked to growth in popu-



              lation,  residential and commercial development,  and  trans-



              portation systems.

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                                  6-15





WQM Task  - Review Water Quality Standards.



              Water Quality Standards should include criteria for all



              those specific pollutant parameters associated with new



              source suboatcgorics.  Social change and population



              growth resulting from major new mine-related industrial



              development may also bring about changes in beneficial



              surface water and ground water uses that would influence



              Water Quality Standards and goals.



      Task   -  Project new sources.



              Potential sources include both  those which are directly



              mine-related and those which stem from associated



              growth and development.






              Part i:n.ll(c)(3)of the U.S. EPA's Rules and Regulations



              dealing with preparation of WQM plans states that,  one



              of the elements  which  shall be  included in each WQM



              plan is ".. . demographic and economic growth projections



              for at least  a 20 year planning period,  disaggregated to



              the level of  detail necessary to identify potential water



              quality problems. "  Within some major new mine-related



              development areas,  the potential water quality impacts



              from associated growth and development may be more



              substantial than the  potential water quality impacts from



              mine-related industrial operations per se.






              Past environmental  impact statements and assessment efforts



              are probably the best as well as the most readily available



              examples of mine-related  water quality impact projection.

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                     6-16






 Some studies in this category are:



    1.  "Environmental Statement for the  Proposed Prototype




        Oil Shale Leasing Program. "  U.S. Department of



        Interior,  1972.




    2.   "Environmental Impact Statement for the Proposed



        Federal Coal Leasing Program. "  U. S  Department



       of Interior, 1974.




    3.  "Environmental Impact Statement for the Development



       of Phosphate Resources in Southeastern Idaho. " U.S.




       Department of  Interior,  Geological Survey, and U. S.



       Department of  Agriculture, Forest Service,  1976.




    4.  "An  Environmental Assessment of Impacts of Coal



       Development on the Water Resources of the Yampa



       River Basin, Colorado and Wyoming. " U.S.



       Department of  Interior,  Geological Survey, 1976.



These and other similar studies provide insight into the




various approaches and methods which may be used  to



project future sources and,  subsequently, to assess potential




impacts on water quality.






Standard sources of information for use in projection of




future mine-related expansion include  the mining industry,




the State Geologic Survey, the U. S. Geological Survey, and




the U.S.  Bureau of Mines.






Mapping and  interactive manipulation of mapped or geo -coded




information of different themes will frequently be  an important




part of new source projection efforts.

-------
                           6-17





       Every \VQRi effort will involve gathering of descriptive



       land resource information as part of the  natural and cultural



       data base.  Some data base elements will relate directly



       to milling, others will describe the various natural systems



       wherein mine-related activities take place.  For example,



       the southeastern Idaho EIS investigation  completed in 1976



       included geologic maps and maps showing active federal



       phosphate lease boundaries, and information about appli-



       cations for prospecting permits, competitive leases and



       preference-right leases. As a starting point in any mine-



       related activity projection, essential information  includes



       a description of the characteristics and  extent of commercially



       valuable, recoverable  mineral deposits  found within the



       boundaries  of the planning jurisdiction and data pertaining



       to any limitations or conditions which might influence the



       probability of future mineral development.  Economic  geology



       information such as mineral formation and  strata outcrop



       maps may be useful to show the extent of commercially



       valuable deposits,  while land and mineral rights ownership



       data and overburden depth information may be useful  to



        define some of the conditions and limitations  to future



        development.



Task  - Perform a future water quality assessment and segment



        classification.



        The purpose of carrying out a water quality analysis  effort



        is to identify the location of potential water pollution  sources



        and the seriousness and extent of potential threats to achievement

-------
                     6-18






 of water quality goals  and protection of beneficial water




 uses.






 The  "relative" versus the "quantitative" approaches to  water




 quality assessment were discussed in Chapter 2. 0,  Section




 2.2.6, as these approaches relate to estimation of pollution



 loads from existing current and abandoned mine-related




 sources.






 Description of potential pollution hazards in relative terms



 (i.e.  this area is more hazardous than that area, etc. )  is




 aided by  examining probable interactions of anticipated  mine-




 related activities with  existing land resources and climatic




 regimes.  To support this method of assessing relative




 pollution hazards, the  southeastern Idaho EIS study (previously



 mentioned) used rainfall data, existing water quality infor-




 mation,  wildlife habitat maps  and landtyps association maps,




 in combination with geologic and  mine-related activity maps.






 Quantitative estimates  of future mine-related water pollution




 loads and their in-stream effects and beneficial use impacts




 are highly desirable, but as was mentioned  earlier in




 Chapter  2. 0, Section 2.2.6, reliable methods for quantitative




 impact prediction arc not very well developed.  EPA's



 "Areawide Assessment Procedures Manual",  EPA-600-76-014,




 describes currently available alternatives for pollutant load




modeling as including empirical methods, deterministic methods,




stochastic methods, and simulation methods.   Empirical

-------
                    6-19





loading methods, such as the Universal Soil Loss Equation,



the Modified Musgrave Equation, and various loading



functions, represent the most easily applied methods.  As



stated in Chapter 4 of the "Areawide Assessment Procedures



Manual",  use of empirical methods for solving pollutant



loading problems "... outside the range of the  original



data base is risky and should be done only with full recog-



nition of the possible errors. "  The manual further points



out that application of any of the alternative methods for



estimation of pollutant loads ideally requires local calibra-



tion and testing or verification, and the opportunities for



performing meaningful calibration before calculating future



potential pollutant load estimates  obviously will be limited.



Quantitative assessment is  not complete until the loading



model outputs have been input to suitable pollutant transport



and water quality and beneficial water  use impact models.



Water quality impact models which deliver in-stream  con-



centrations must include procedures to deal with in-stream



water pollutant reactions and transformations as well  as



simply to accept loadings data from loadings and transport



models.






The impacts of increased consumptive water uses on water



duality may be important in assessing  major mine-related



industrial expansion impacts, particularly in arid or semi-



arid climatic zones. Subpart 130. 34(d) of EPA's Rules and



Regulations states that in the event that a "Level B" plan as

-------
                     6-20






 called for under Section 209 of P. L  92-500.  ". . .  has not



 been initiated, the State or designated areawide planning




 agency shall identify the appropriate constraints on water




 quality management which would be brought about by current



 and projected future  (twenty year period) water demands."




 Water consumption and  use may increase not only to support




 mineral processing,  mineral transport (slurry pipelines,  etc. },




 or  other aspects of mine-related industrial activity per se,




 but also may increase to supply the consumptive needs of



 associated municipal and industrial growth.  Recent studies




 having to do with the Yellowstone Basin, in the State of




 Montana, illustrate these  kinds of issues involving water




 quantity/quality interrelationships.






 li quantitative estimation of future pollutant loads is attempted,




 the effort should at least identify areas where substantial




 increases in pollutant loadings should be expected to result



 from anticipated mine-related industrial activities.   Existing




quantitative methods  are more likely to yield general in-




dications of where  major loadings increases should  I




expected, than they are  to yield very definitive information




related to varying lesser degrees of future water quality




degradation.






The complexities of dealing with generation,  delivery and




impact of pollutants from mine-related activities are no

-------
                                  6-21


              less intricate and involved for future operations than

              previously described for current operations in Chapter 3.0.

              Both poinc source and nonpoint source contributions may

              directly influence surface water and/or ground water

              quality, as may indirect hydologic imbalances and dis-

              turbances associated with mining and mine-related

              operations.  Each stage and each phase of every type

              of mine-related industrial activity may exert  a different

              and distinct influence on water quality.  For example,

              the authors of a recent article entitled "Impact of Coal
                                        \l
              Handling on Water Quality"   stated that "Almost any

              step of coal mining,  transport,  storage, combustion,  and

              disposal of refuse or residue will have  an impact on the

              quality of surface and subsurface waters. " Impacts during

              active development and construction may  differ from those

              during routine operation,  temporary inactivity, or long-

              term closedown.  Some effects will be of short duration,

              while other more persistent effects may continue to

              influence water quality  for decades or longer.  Relative

              timing of different development  events and rates of

              development will influence water quality impacts.  The

              Idaho Phosphate HIS (1076) recognized this issue by

              stating:  "if mining, and subsequent processing, proceed
\l  Motry.  Amir A., and Weston. Roy l«\ ,  "impact of Coal Handling on
   Water Quality. "  Proceedings of the 21st Annual Technical Meeting of
   the Institute of Environmental Sciences,  "Energy and the Environment.
   Anaheim,  California.  April 14-16, 1975.

-------
                                    6-22





               at a lesser rate than indicated by the mining plans as



               submitted, the environmental impacts will be less. "






               Actual pollutant loadings will be dependent upon methods



               used in mining and associated mineral industrial operations



               and the control practices  and preventive measures applied.



               The influence  control practices and preventive measures



               have on future pollutant loadings from anticipated mine-



               related activities was also recognized in the Idaho



               Phosphate EIS (1976): "Absolute values of suspended -



               sediment concentrations are  sensitive to many variables.



               Without precise knowledge of mitigating  [control] measures,



               only order of magnitude changes can be estimated for



               values of suspended-sediment concentration . .  .  The Forest



               Service has estimated potential sediment yields as a result



               of the proposed mining . . .  the qualitative estimates are



               presented here as indications of potential sediment yields.



               They are based upon the effectiveness of past reclamation



               measures. "






               Given the complexities and the unavoidable uncertainties,



               which are a part of any projection of impacts from future



               mine-related developments on water quality, quantitative



               estimates may be best used to support qualitative judgments



               of pollution potential.






     Remaining tasks dealing with major new mine-related industrial



development include:

-------
                                  6-23






WQM Task  - Recognize future water pollution control needs,



WQM Task  - Develop alternative control and management system



              strategies.




WQM Task  - Estimate the effectiveness of alternative control



              strategies.




WQM Task  - Select a new source control subplan.




WQM Task - Perform an environmental assessment of the chosen




              new source  control subplan.




     As was discussed earlier in regard to current  source control subplans,



alternative control strategies for both point sources and nonpoint sources




are required.  Denial of mine-related point source discharge permits




or establishment of effluent limitations more  stringent than those required



under Section  301(b)(2) of P. L. 92-500 may be necessary when new*mine-




related point source discharges are  projected on water quality limited




segments or on high quality water or National resource water segments




which are subject to strict antidcgradation provisions.




     Major new  mine-related development planning  will often require



consideration  of broader economic and social implications of control



alternatives than were considered in routine new source planning. Most




major new developments probably will have multi-state,  regional, or




even national implications.  The possible effects of control alternatives




on the mineral supply and  demand situation, on user industries in both




the local mining area or in other regions of the country,  on the State or




on regional energy supplies, on the  Nation's balance of payments and world




markets  through influences on mineral commodity imports and exports,  and




even on national security,  may require examination within the content of



the control subplan selection process.

-------
                               CHAPTER 7. 0



      CONTINUING MINE-RELATED WATER QUALITY MANAGEMENT



                           AND WQM PLANNING








     Part 130 of EPA's Rules and Regulations,  entitled "Policies and



Procedures for Continuing Planning Process, " sets forth the general



requirements for a continuing State and areawide water quality manage-



ment and WQM planning process.   The broad goal of this process is to



assure that the necessary institutional  arrangements and management



programs are established to make  and  implement coordinated decisions



for achievement of water quality goals  and standards within each State.






7. 1  Operational Mine-related Pollution Control and Water  Quality Management



     A number of the essential features of an effective water pollution control



system and management process were  covered in previous Chapters and



are briefly described in the following discussion. These features include:



     1.  Ongoing evaluation of the effectiveness of the mine-related



        regulatory control system in achieving its water pollution control



        and beneficial water use protection  objectives; including the



        effectiveness of various specific mine-related control practices,



        enforcement programs, preplanning permit approval procedures,



        and post-operations pollution prevention.



     2.   Ongoing  examination of more effective and  more advanced



        preventive measures and control practices, which may help to



        better prevent  or control mine-related water pollution.



     3.   Prompt adoption and use of the most effective preventive measures



        and control practices (BMP's) currently available as improved

-------
                               7-2



      measures and practices are conceived, demonstrated and shown



      to be ready for practical application.



 4.  Integration of watershed planning and ground water recharge zone




      planning into pre-operations permit review procedures to recognize



      the cumulative impacts on water quality of all abandoned,  current,



      and new mine-related sources.  This would replace isolated permit



      review with  an integrated, areawide water quality and beneficial



      use impact evaluation.



 13.  Continued refinement of pollution abatement program priorities for



      abandoned sources, better definition of source.1 contributions and



      impacts,  and identification of control mechanisms and opportunities.




 6.  Ongoing documentation of the effectiveness of accomplished and




      continuing abatement projects for  abandoned sources.



 7.  Ongoing direction of the overall mine-related control program,




      including its enforcement aspects,  priorities, and emphasis.




 8.  Effective integration and coordination of mine-related water




      pollution control for point sources  (NPUES) and nonpoint sources



      (such as that coordination and integration now under way by the




      new  U. S. D. I. Office of Surface  Alining Reclamation and Enforcement




      and the U. S.  Environmental Protection Agency to effectively control




      all water pollution,  including point and nonpoint source contributions,




      from coalmining under  l\iblic  I^aw  95-87).



 9.  Establishment of effective ties  between mine-related control



      program(s) and other  programs  designed  to deal with other




      pollution source categories, including  silviculture,  agriculture,



      construction, solid waste, etc.




10.   Continued responsibility for recognition of new,  or old,  but




      increasingly serious,  mine-related water pollution  sources,

-------
                                   7-3



         assessment of their water quality and beneficial use impacts,



         formulation of control alternatives, and implementation and



         operation of appropriately selected control systems.   Pollution



         resulting from the consequences of mine-related hydrologic system



         disruptions and imbalances,  increased mine-related industrial



         water consumption,  polluant contributions from future inactive or



         abandoned mineral industrial operations sites,  and ground water



         pollution, should all be included  within the scope of the continuing



         identification, assessment, and control selection and implementation



         process.





7. 2  Continuing WQM  Planning



     The operational mine-related water  quality management and pollution



control process must be effectively linked to the whole continuing WQM



planning process, required by P. T..  92-500. and EPA's  subsequently issued



llulos and Regulations.



     [Establishing proper linkages and coordinating mechanisms can be a



difficult task if existing arrangements are poorly developed.  However,



this program element will be important in determining how well State



water quality goals aro achieved and beneficial water uses are protected



by all the varied point and nonpoint source pollution control systems.



     I'art LiO of EPA's regulations  requires that the State, and in some



eases the aroawido, continuing  \VQ1M  planning process should provide for:



     1.   1 \iblic participation;



     2.  Intergovernmental input;



     3.  Coordination of State and nreawide planning with one another and



         with all other  related- l-'ederal, State, interstate., and local



         planning activities;

-------
                                   7-4


     4.  Preparation,  adoption, and continuing revision of both State and

         areawide water quality management plans;

     5.  Establishment and implementation of regulatory and other than

         regulatory control programs;

     6.  Development, review,  adoption, and periodic reexamination and

         revision (every three years) of Water Quality Standards;

     7.  Development, adoption, and implementation of  a statewide policy

         on anti-degradation;

     8.  Review and certification of areawide WQM plans and annual

         revisions to such plans;

     9.  A State management program to oversee continuing areawide

         WQfti planning efforts;

    10.  Establishment and continuing involvement of a policy advisory

         committee;

    11.   Coordination of permit actions of the National Pollutant Discharge

         Elimination System (NPDES) with current WQ3V1 plan provisions; and

    12.  Assumption of responsibility for achieving all the requirements

         of Section 208 of Public Law 92-500.

     The overall water quality management requirement which the

continuing management and \VQI\I planning process must be designed

to serve is stated in Section 201(c) of P. L.  92-500:

         "To the  extent practicable, waste treatment management shall
         be on an areawide basis and provide control or treatment of
         all point and nonpoint sources of pollution,  including in place
         or accumulated pollution sources. "

     WQM planning involves more than simply developing a static plan

of defined components in a specified time period. Rather,  the vVQM

program fulfills a broader purpose as stated in Section  208(f)(l) of

P L.  92-500:

-------
                                   7-5





         "...  of developing and operating a continuing [Statewide or]



         areawide waste treatment management planning process"





     Initial State and areawide WQM plans represent the first outputs



from operation of this continuing WQM planning process; a process which



is intended to operate indefinitely into the future.



     Annual requirements for outputs from each of the States to U. S. EPA,



which are specifically called for by regulation under this continuing  WQM



planning process, include:



     1.  An annual review and revision, if necessary, of the continuing



         WQM planning process itself;



     2.   An annual revision and updating of both State and areawide WQM



         plans, which are intended to guide decision-making over at



         least a 20 year span of time in increments of 5 years;



     3.   An annual revision and preparation of a new five-year State



         Strategy which sets forth the Spate's major objectives,



         approaches, and priorities for preventing and controlling



         water pollution;  and



     4.   An annual State program plan which establishes the immediate



         program objectives, identifies the resources committed to



         the State program for the coming year, and provides a mechanism



         for reporting progress toward achievement of program objectives.

-------
APPENDIX  A

-------
                              APPENDIX A



          EXAMPLE - MINE SITE IIYDHOIXXUC  EXAMINATION





      The hydrology of  representative mine  sites within major mine-related



source subcategori.es should be examined and understood.



      All surface water and ground water inputs, water,  and point and



nonpoint source pollutant transfers and outputs  should be identified. Inter-



relationships among the various components should be  defined, including



the mechanisms of pollutant  formation.  Mine-related interruptions,



disruptions, and imbalances to preexisting site hydrology,  both temporary



and permanent,  should  be recognized and understood.



      Figures A-l and A-2 illustrate a hypothetical active surface mining



opt.'ration.   Inputs of water to the mine site have been identified.   The



various modes and pathways of water and pollutant transfer from the mine



site to receiving surface and ground waters  have been diagrammed. Both



point  source and nonpoint source pathways of transfer have been included



tn the diagram.




    Distinctions between point  sources and nonpoint sources which are



described here are intended  only to reflect current working NPDES definitions;



these  source distinctions, as described, do  not purport to  reflect the ulti-



mate  limits of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's authority under



the Water Pollution Control Act Amendments to define  point sources of



discharge from  mining, and  to promulgate and require compliance with



appropriate effluent limitations. Collection  and treatment  may be a



practical control alternative for some sources which are now defined in



relation to NPDES as being nonpoint sources.  Any control agency possessing



sufficient independent regulatory control authority  is free to establish



eftluent limitations and require treatment  of any nonpoint source within

-------

FIGURE A-1- REPRESENTATION OF A HYPOTHETICAL CURRENT SURFACE MINING OPERATION

-------
            FIGURE A-2 - WATER INPUTS AND POINT AND NONPOINT SOURCE WATER AND POLLUTANT TRANSFER
                           PATHWAYS FROM A HYPOTHETICAL CURRENT SURFACE MINING OPERATION
                                                                  Ji*
                                             PRECIPITATION
                                                       X ,	f ~    *s—- '

                                                    _.<    ,A>*''
                                          riNDBLOWN FyGirivt DUST

                       JUNOFF ~~

                           ACTIVE MINE RUNOFF COLLECTION DITCH
                                                                                    CLAIMED AREA SEDIMENT BAS
                                                                                                                      uiK.i VVA n i< AN t,
                                                                                                                     .  VVA i i H A.NI/ I-IM i u I AM i i tiAtj'.i i ir.

                                                                                                                 I  II I I III I4lt^^»»>
                                                                                                           Y\,A I I l| i
                                                                                                           I tt MINI t H
                                                                                                           r-Jtf f (I'l 1 AT
                                                                                                           /\ N IJ Ah IA t
                                                                                                           UN 111', I u Kit
                                                                                                           AMI A!,
                                       N	,	^     N
                                                      ' M i ill/


                                                      •OMA I H



                                                      t
                                                               F I LTHATION

                                                                   URFACE SEEPAGE

                                                                      UNO
                                                                                                                                                   , t HAI.M'JH/. I "/f.
   RECHARGE
              X^	^	r^   £.	^-~1"™  ~	^^-N
             PIT WATER  \    -  LCACWATE  /
             LEAKAGE    \    •  LEAKAGE   /        mill
             PCflCOLAT,ON\   =  *^CTURE/   *^IV^     =  *QUICLUD€
             	in\_:  aar   /   °**»*w'*i	
                                                                                                           CONTAMINATED SUBSURFACE WATER DISCHARGE

                                                                                                                 CONTAMINATED GROUNDWATER DISCHARGE
                                                                                                                              IVERTED DRAINAGE BASIN OVERF 1
                                                                 REGARDED OVERBURDEN LEACHATE DISCHARGE
                      WATER  -
                    DISCHARGE ;
              LEACHATE
              DISCHARGE
                                                                                .   -

                                                                              P\Nj
I J I III! i N  HIM _
                                OVERBU
                                LEACMATE
                                PERCOLATION
                                                                SURFACE SEEPAGE
                                      T RE AT MF WT pfTpu rT^™^^^^1^-^^^                                                          f"  ^ nc^ i cv ••« lEnv^ulLKI ^AMH T IMG
                   „,	Illlllllllllllll	liniirilllllllllUMIMMI	II I III 11	HIM N 	"	'	"'"                 ^-INOfl UNREGULATED CONTAMINANTS
DIVERTED
DRAINAGE

BASIN         1



            GROtJN
SURFACE
SEEPAGE
                            ^SUBSURFACE
                             LEAKAGE
                                                     IMI Ul I Illll III I III! 1 1 II 1 1 1 1


                                                       V     ^»6UBSURFACE

                                                         GROUNOWATER LEAKA
                                                                                                                           NTHtATEO STOBM RUNOFF BVPAS
                                                                                                                           TREATED WATE
LEAKAGE
                  OWATEH
             LEAKAGE

-------
                                  A-4

the limits of its own authority.  Effluent limitations established for sources
not now controlled under NPDES (sources which are by definition, nonpoint
sources) may be made more or less stringent than limitations applicable
to related point sources under NPDES  at the discretion of the control agency,
but any such independently established limitations must be consistent with
meeting water quality goals and standards.
   If, however, current NPDES point  source  definitions should be modified
in the future to include a source which is currently defined as a nonpoint
source, any effluent limitations which  have  been independently established
by a control agency for such a source would subsequently have to be made
at least as stringent as those limitations promulgated under NPDES for that
new point source category.
   Each aspect of the  surface mine example shown in Figures A-l and
A-2 is discussed further in the following explanation:
      A.  Water Inputs To the Mine Site
          1.  Precipitation - timing, intensity and quantity of precipitation
             are a function en local climatic conditions.
          2. Undisturbed area runoff  - surface runoff from adjacent
             undisturbed areas may be intercepted by drainage diversion
             ditches and routed around the active mine site.
          3. Subsurface water seepage - proximate and deeper subsurface
             water may enter the min:? as  seepage from adjacent areas
             above the level of thj £vo-.uul  > *ater table.
          4. Ground water seepage -  ground water seepage into the mine may
             occur in those cases where the mine pit or shaft extends below
             the ground water table.  The  mine pit of the surface mine shown

-------
                                   A-5
              in Figure A-l is above ground water level,  so ground water
              seepage does not occur.  The exploratory boreholes in Figure A-l
              extend into the unconfined aquifer; if the aquifer were artesian
              rather than unconfined, such boreholes might represent channels
              of ground water flow into the mine, rather than pathways of
              drainage from it.

         Once water has entered the active mine area, pit water  accumulation,
runoff,  infiltration, evaporation, and water retention storage will take
place internally.  Chemical reactions also may occur.  Minerals may
oxidize  or hydrolyze,  and different minerals may react with one other, or
produce intermediate products which cause  further chemical reactions to
occur elsewhere.

         Wind action may be responsible for movement of windblown fugitive
dust from the  active mine area to adjacent reclaimed or undisturbed areas.
These windblown materials may then contaminate surface runoff,  proximate
subsurface water,  and/or ground water recharge.

     B.  Water Storage on the Aline Site
          1.  Water retention storage - water retention storage  will normally
              take place  within mineral overburden or other disturbed mineral
              materials on the mine site.
          2.   Mine water - water may accumulate in the pit of surface mines
              or within the workings of other mines.  Normally  such water

-------
                                    A-6






              would be pumped out and discharged as a dewatering



              point source.




          3.  Catchments  - small catchments of water may occur within




              mineral overburden or elsewhere within the workings of



              an active mine, increasing local evaporation, or infil-



              tration, or both.




          4.  Pond and process water - Figure A-l illustrates water storage




              in an active  mine  runoff and pit dewatering treatment pond.



              In other kinds of mineral industry operations, water may be



              retained within the active area for washing or processing,




              or within slurry,  slime,  or tailings settling basins,  with




              or without discharge outlets.






          Water and  pollutant outputs from current mining operations  include



both point source discharges and nonpoint source transfer mechanisms.




Figures A-l and A-2 show two types of point source discharges and 10 non-




point source water pollution transfer mechanisms and pathways for contami-



nated water movement.






      C.   Current Mining Point  Source  Discharges




          1.  I\linc Dewatering Discharges  - (a discrete point source) -




              accumulations of water in the mine pit or mine workings




              may have to  be pumped out to allow normal mine operations



              to continue.  Pumped mine  dewatering discharges are point




              sources covered by NPDES permits and therefore are limited



              by NPDES effluent guidelines.

-------
                                 A-7





          2.  Collected Active Mine Area Runoff Discharges



             (a discrete point source following collection) - discharges



             *"rom active mine area runoff collection ditches are point



             sources limited by NPDES effluent guidelines.





          Active mine area runoff and pumped pit dewatering discharges



may be channelled through the same  or separate treatment ponds or



systems prior to discharge into  receiving waters.  Such treatment ponds



or systems must be designed to handle pit water and runoff volumes



associated with a once in 10-year,  24-hour storm event.  In case of a



precipitation event which exceeds treatment system capacity, untreated



excess storm runoff may be discharged to receiving waters without



meeting effluent limitations.





      D.   Current Mining Nonpoint Sources



          1.  Regraded Area Runoff  (a diffuse nonpoint source) -



             immediate surface runoff from surface mined areas which



             have been returned to final grade constitutes a nonpoint



             source under current NPDES definitions. Runoff following



             regrading throughout amendment application and re vegetation



             is included in this category. Regraded area runoff may



             be sediment laden and should be channelled through a sediment



             basin or other treatment system prior to discharge into



             receiving waters.  Regraded area runoff entering a sediment



             basin may also contain some quantities of regraded spoil



             leachate,  spoil seepage, proximate subsurface water seepage,



             and  ground water discharge.

-------
                         A-8






2.  Regradedjjverburden I <;achate (a diffuse nonpoint source) -



    infiltration of precipitation on regraded overburden may result



    in percolation  of reclaimed overburden leachate into under-




    lying, undisturbed soil or geologic strata.  Such leachate



    may move downward as contaminated ground  water recharge



    or laterally as proximate subsurface water.  Contaminated



    subsurface water may emerge on the surface as polluted,



    proximate; subsurface water seepage.  I/jachate may also




    be transferred downwards through  unsealed boreholes to



    underlying  strata.




'•*>•  Hegraded Overburden Seepage (a diffuse nonpoint source) -




    precipitation which has infiltrated into  regraded overburden




    may emerge at the bottom of regraded  soil slopes as surface



    leachate seepage and, thereafter, become a constituent of



    regraded/reclaimed area surface runoff.



4.  A(• tivr* I\1 ine IM.t:_ Water Leakage (a diffuse contribution from




    a permitted point source) accumulations of water in the




    mine pit or mine workings may slowly  leak into underlying



    strata,   l^t water may also move through  unsealed bore




    holes into underlying strata.




5.  Active Overburden [.< qchate (a diffuse  contribution from




    a permitted point source) - precipitation which has in-



    filtrated into active mineral overburden may  emerge as



    leachage and percolate into underlying  strata. Active




    overburden leachate may also bo transferred downward




    into underlying strata through unsealed bore holes or

-------
                         A-9





   through natural fractures and joints.  Contaminants may



   also be transferred slowly from active mine pit water



   and saturated overburden by diffusion into adjacent strata.



6.  Diverted Drainage Discharges (a non-permitted discrete



   discharge) - surface runoff from adjacent,  undisturbed or



   regradcd.  reclaimed areas may be diverted around the



   active mine site.  Drainage diversion ditches may erode



   and produce sediment laden, and less frequently, chemically



   contaminated,  discharges requiring appropriate  control.



   Control of diversion system pollution caused by the mining



   operation may bo  achieved cither through use of  practices



   and measures to prevent and reduce  erosion (Best Management



   Practices) and/or by installing, operating and maintaining



   suitable treatment facilities, such  as sediment basins.  Erosion



   control practices  include proper engineering design of the



   drainage diversion system, with gently sloping bank and ditch



  .gradients  capable  of carrying expected  peak runoff volumes,



   and use of such stabilization measures as mulching,  vegetation,



   riprap or ditch linings.  Chemically  contaminated surface flows



   may also  result in subsurface  leakage and surface seepage of



    pollutants from unlined ditches and treatment  ponds.



7.  Uncontrolled Storm Overflow^ from Point Source  Treatment Systems



   (an unregulated contribution from a discrete, permitted point



   source) - point source treatment and control systems installed



   under NPDKS permit must be designed to adequately handle



   water volumes from active  mine runoff and pit workings



   dnwatering associated with  a once in 10-year,  24-hour storm.

-------
                        A-10





    Excessive storm overflow from larger precipitation events



    may be discharged without meeting NPDES effluent limitations.



8.   High  Instantaneous Point Source Pollutant Concentrations



    (an unregulated contribution from a discrete, permitted point



    source) - concentrations of specific pollutants in point source



    discharges are not permitted to exceed specified 30 day



    average daily maximum values and single day average



    instantaneous maximum values.  It is possible that high



    single instantaneous concentrations of regulated pollutants



    may be discharged over short periods without violating either



    single day average or 30-day average maximum effluent



    limitations.



9.   Unregulated Contaminants in Point Source Discharges



    (an unregulated contribution from a discrete, permitted



    point source) - point source pollutants in discharges



    regulated by XPDES permit  are selected for regulation



    based upon the "Best Practicable Control Technology



    Currently Available" (BPCTCA) and the 'Best Available



    Technology Economically Achievable' (BATEA).  ftiinor



    pollutants occurring in concentrations normally not



    high enough to have deleterious effects,  which are



    partially controlled by removal of other major pollutants,



    or which are not feasible to  control by treatment, are not



    included under effluent discharge limitations,  even though



    concentrations at individual  mine sites may rise above



    desirable levels.



     NPDES effluent limitations for existing point sources in



    the acid or ferruginous coal mine-drainage  category

-------
                          A-U

     regulate pH, total suspended solids, and total manganese.
     (Final Rules,  Federal Register,  Vol.  42, No. 80.  Page 213,
     April 26, 1977). Other pollutant parameters which  may
     be present but are not specifically regulated in coal mining
     category discharges include dissolved iron, aluminum,
     nickel,  zinc, fluoride, strontium, ammonia,  sulfate and
     total dissolved solids.
       Sediment basins to remove suspended solids from point
     source mine discharges are required by NPDES permits
     to handle 10-year, 24-hour stormwater runoff volumes,
     together with any dewatering or process water,  without
     regard for the particle size distribution of influent  suspended
     solids.  Discharges carrying relatively large amounts of
     fine silt and clay sized particles could result  if detention
     time is inadequate to  cause fine grained sediments  to settle.
     Fine suspended solids could be discharged from sediment
     basins without limitation,  and technically without violating
     NPDES permit provisions, even during storm events smaller
     than the 10-year, 24-hour design  storm. Discharges associated
     with snowmelt, rather than rainfall,  may also be discharged
     without limitation.
10.   Active Mine Runoff and Pit Workings Water Treatment Pond
     Leakage and Seepage  (a diffuse contribution from a  permitted
     point source) - unlined treatment ponds may leak contaminated
     water to underlying strata or may contribute surface seepage
     into adjacent surface waters or natural drainways leading to
     surface waters.  Even when proper engineering design criteria

-------
                    A-12





have been used in earthen dike or embankment construction,



seeps and leaks may develop over time from a number of



causes, including the action of burrowing animals such as



nutria, muskrats,  etc.

-------
APPENDIX B

-------
                                APPENDIX B
              DISCUSSION OF WATER QUALITY IMPLICATIONS
                   OF MINE-RE LA TED INDUSTRY ACTIONS

       The nature and timing of mine -related actions will determine the
 interactions with pre-existing site conditions,  the changes in those conditions,
 and the impacts on surface water and ground water quality and beneficial
 uses that will occur  during and following the operations.
      The interactions and the effects of industry actions on site conditions
 can be appreciated through:
      1  An orderly classification of operations sequences,  including a
           differentiation of rapidly developed versus gradually developed
           features, and functional versus nonfunctional operations and
           their resultant constructs.
      2.  An evaluation of the generation and delivery of each type  of
         pollutant to receiving surface water and ground water.  Such an
         evaluation would include both the adverse and the ameliorating
         water quality impacts associated with each stage of each  separate
         operation and with each alternative operating method.
      3.  An examination of each action in temporal relation to climatic events,
         receiving water conditions  and beneficial uses.  The timing,
         duration and developmental stage of mine features are highly
         relevant to an understanding of the potential for causing pollution.
    Table B-l presents examples of site features from several,  separate
operations.  Distinctions are made between functional and nonfunctional
mine features,  and rapidly developed and gradually developed mine features.
Stages in the active life of each feature are described.

-------
                    TABLE B-l   AN EXAMPLE CLASSIFICATION OF MINE-RELATED FUNCTIONAL AND NONFUNCTIONAL
                                            OPERATIONS SITE FEATURES BY STAGES
                               NONFUNCTIONAL
                                                                     FUNCTIONAL
STAGES
Devel opment
RAPID
Strip
Mine
Pit

Open
Pit
Mine
(Possible Functional
GRADUAI
Deep
Mine
Workings
Uses)
Well Emplacement
RAPID
Mine Road Sediment
Basin
GRADUAL
Tailings/Refuse
Slime/ Sludge
Disposal Area
Stabilization
Continuing Use
Regrading/  N.A.
Revegeta-
tion
N.A.
            N.A.
               Casing
(Mineral     (Haulage/      Oil  or Gas
Extraction)  Ventilation)    Extraction
                       Drainage       Slope
                       Control         Revege-
                       Installation   tation
                                      Hauling
                                      Mineral
                                      Sediment
                                      Removal
                            Sediment In-
                            filtration and
                            Dust Control
                            Waste
                            Disposal
                                                                                                                          CD
                                                                                                                          I
Periodic
Maintenance
Reseeding
   as
Required
 N.A.
Debri s
Removal
Cracked
Casing
Replacement
Grading
Watering
Sediment
Removal
and
Disposal
Control
Measure
Maintenance
Inactivation
     or
Closure
N.A.
 Flooding,
    or
 Partial
 Backfilling
 and Revegeta-
 tion
Shaft
Sealing
Well Sealing
Barrier
Installation
and
Revegetation
Embankment
Leveling
Basin
Backfilling
Revegetation
Regrading, Seal
Burying, and
Revegetation

-------
                                  B-3

    Rapidly developed nonfunctional features, such as strip mine pits,
may be severe pollution sources for a short period only and then be
stabilized by a reclamation process.
    Gradually developed large open pit mines and deep mine workings
expand slowly and may gradually become more  significant sources  of
water pollution, especially ground water pollution, over time.
    Rapidly developed functional mine features, such as mine haul roads,
may be severe pollution sources for a brief period during construction,
and then gradually stabilize with proper erosion and drainage control
installation. Functional sources, however, fulfill some continuous
operational use as part of the mine-related activity.   Continuing use and
maintenance of such functional mine features may result in additional
pollution contributions throughout the term of their active  life.
      Table B-2 is an example of a past effort to  estimate the environmental
impacts of various methods of coal surface mining which was published in
EPA 430/9-73-014 "Methods for Identifying and Evaluating the Nature and
Extent of Nonpoint Sources  of Pollutants.1'  Water quality impacts expressed
in Table B-2 represent judgments of  pollution potential supported by both
field experience in the coal mining industry and appreciation for the
sequence of physical  conditions  produced at the mine site during appli-
cation of each different mining method.  Steep mountain contour mining
accomplished with no placement of spoils on the downslope is shown to have
a very modest  surface water pollution impact potential, while conventional
contour stripping is shown to have a severe adverse impact potential.
     Table B-3 represents a past effort to estimate the environmental
effects of each of the  discrete activities and the stages which are involved
in carrying  out a coal surface mining and reclamation operation. This

-------
                                                               TABLE  B-2
                                        ESTIMATED ENVIRONMENTAL EFFECTS OF COAL SURFACE MINING-
         Mining Tech

Area Mininj:

  Without reclamation
  With reclamation!/
Contour raining (spoils on downs lope):

  Conventional contour strip
  Contour strip with spoils shaping
  Contour strip with terrace backfilling
  Contour atrip with contour backfilling
  Auger ing from narrow bench

Contour mining (no spoils on downs lope):

  Modified block cut
  Long wall surface
  Augering with backfilling
.ronmental indicators:—
Water

Surface
Pollution
1-2
0-1
3
1-3
; 1-2
; 1
1-3
1
0-1
0-1


Groundwater
0-1
0-1
0-1
0
0
0
1-3
0
1-2
1-2
3 = Severe adverse
Changed
Water
Cours es
1-3
0-1
2-3
2-3
0-2
0-1
0-1
0
0
0
Air
Pollution
(Dust)
2-3
1
2-3
2-3
1-2
1-2
0-1
1
0-1
0-1
impact; 0 -
Land Use
(Adjacent
Land
Impact a,:d
Precluded
Land Use)
2-3
0
3
2-3
1-2
0-1
1-2
0
0-1
0
Negligible adverse impact)
Health and
Safety
(Landslides
and
Flooding)
0
0
3
1-3
1-2
0-1
0-1
0
0
0
Wildlife
Habitat and
Disruption
1-2
0
1-3
1-2
1-2
1
0-1
0-1
0
0
Aesthetics
(Htghwall
and
Vegetation)
2-3
0
3
2-3
0-1
1
1
0-1
0
0



Total-'
9-16
1-4
17-22 ?
11-20 -^
4-13
3-8
3-12
2-4
1-5
1-4
a./  Indicators are  for both temporary and pervasive impacts.
b/  Head of hollow  fill technique is not rated here because its environmental effects also depcrd on the  technique(s>  for  which it
      serves as a supplemental method for spoil disposal.
c/  Aggregating environmental parameters into a single index Ls difficult and often involves value judgments  with  respect  to
      relative importance of the factors involved.  These totals assume equal weighting of environmental  impacts.   Use of  other
      weights could alter the ranking of the techniques.
d/  This ranking  is for area mining in  the eastern and central coal regions with adequate rainfall for  vegetation.   Area
      mining in the far west may well be unacceptable unless vegetation can he reestablished.

-------
                                                            TABLE  B-3
                                 RATING OF ENVIRONMENTAL EFFECTS OF DISCRETE COAL SURFACE MINING
Surface Mining Operation

  1.  Access road cut and use
  2.  Drilling and blasting
  3.  Scalping
  4.  Overburden removal and placement
  5.  Coa1 remova1

Net Environmental Effect of Surface
  Mining Operation

Reclamation Operation

  6.  Spoil rehandling and grading
  7.  Revegetatlon
  8.  Drainage controls
  9.  Sediment basin

Net Environmental Effect of
  Reclamation Operation

Net Environmental Effect of
  Surface Mining And Reclamation Operation
AND RECLAMATION
OPERATIONS



Environmental Component
Physical-Chemical



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-------
                                     B-6






example illustrates one approach which may be useful in identifying those



areas where? preventive measures or control practices need to be applied.



       Mine-relater] operations and actions, especially those involving




rapid  changes and developments, should be viewed in relation to the




temporal variation of climatic: events and the condition of receiving waters



(including aquatic life sensitivity),  l-'igure H-l is a hypothetical illustration



of the relationships in timing among amount of rainfall,  quanity of stream-




flow,  rainfall energy-intensity  (erosive force),  and a typical sequence



of activities during a one year period of a surface mining operation.



Although the situation described is hypothetical, it may correspond to



conditions found in the Southern Appalachian Region.




      Periods  of highest stream flow may not necessarily coincide with




periods of highest rainfall because of the  effect of temperature and




ovapotranspiration, as well as  the.- influence of the condition of vegetation



on infiltration/runoff relationships.



       Periods of highest rainfall energy/intensity may not coincide with




periods of highest rainfall quantity.  Severe thunder  storms may occur



during periods of moderate  rainfall.  Slower more gentle rains occurring




at other times of the year may  produce larger total quantities of precipitation.



      The? timing of mine-related activities can sometimes bo adjusted to




avoid creation of potentially severe pollution sources.  Regulation of the




intensity as well as the timing of certain activities  during critical periods




may help to better control or prevent adverse water  quality impacts;



for example,  unpaved and unsurfaeed mine haul road use may be reduced




during bad weather to prevent deep rutting and resultant  increased erosion




as an alternative to construction of an all weather road surface.  Even




under  circumstances when adjustment of activity schedules may not be

-------
FJGUPE B-1 - TYPICAL SEQUENCE OF ACTIVITIES ASSOCIATED WITH CONDUCT OF A SURFACE MINING OPERATION SHOWN IN RELATION
             TO LOCAL TEMPERATURE, LOCAL STREAMFLQW, LOCAL RAINFALL QUANTITY AND LOCAL RAINFALL ENERGY-INTENSITY
            (Erosive Force)
MONTH
TEMPERATURE
STflEAMFLOW


ENERGY-INTENSITY
OF RAINFALL
SEQUENCE OF SURFACE
MINING ACTIVITIES
WATER QUALITY
CONTROL AND
RECLAMATION
ACTIVITIES ARE
DEC JAN. FEB. MAR. APR. MAY JUN. JUL AUG. SEP. OCT.
MODERATE | COLD j MODERATE j WARM
HIGH FLOW
* *" MODERATE FLOW


HIGH QUANTITY
^ ^ MODERATE QUANTITY


MODERATE ENERGY


OMINE ACCESS ROAD CONSTRUCTION
QUOAD DRAINAGE CONTROL AMD srABirzATiOH
O EXPLORATORY DRILLING
Q INSTALLATION Of SEDIMENT BASINS
O CONSTRUCTION OF DIVERSION OITCHE
O TIMBER STAND LIQUIDATION
O CLEARING AND GRUBBING
QTQPSOIL SEGREGATION
HOT | WARM |
i

LOW FLOW 1 ""

~~ HIGH QUANTITY
-^ 1 — 	 *^

HIGHEST EKERGYJ
* 1 MODERATE
| INTENSITY
1 ^
J
1
'SCALPING!
NOV. DEC.
MODERATE
* HIGH FLOW*
MODERATE FLOW

^_ ^ HIGHEST QUANTITY
- MO DERATE QUANTITY

LOW ENERGY
~~^^

       UNDERLINED)
Q TOPSOIL STOCKPILE STABILIZATION •
    OOVERBURDEN REMOVAL AND SELECTIVE PLACEMENT
       OaVERBURDEN ORAIIHACECOMTROL IHSTALLflTION
            ^MINEflAt EXTRAaiOH
              O MINERAL HAULING              i/
                 OMINE ACCES| ROAD MAINTENANCE AND WATERING FOR DUST CONTROL
                     O SEDIMENT BASIN CLEAN OUT AHD SEDIMENT DISPOSAL
                        QSELECTIVE OVERBURDEN PLACEMENT AND BACKFILLING
                           IQTERRACIHG AND GHAOINQ
                           I    QCHA3ED SPOILS DRAIN ACE CONTROL INSTALLATIOB
                                                                                 OTQPSOILINC
                                                                                    QAPPLICAT10N OF SOIL AMENDMENTS
                                                                                        O VEGETATION SEEPING
                                                                                           Q MULCHING
                                                                                               QSEDIMENT BASIN REMOVAL
                                                                                             i

                                                                                             I
                                                    QMtNE ACCESS ROAD CLOSURE
                                                                                           INTERVAL
                        I/
                          ROAD MAINTENANCE MAY BE CONSIDERED TO BE BOTH A PRODUCTION AND A WATER QUALITY CONTROL FUNCTION.

-------
                                    B-8






practicable,  knowledge of the timing of critical climatic and stream



conditions will aid in planning and design of adequate mitigating control




measures.  The area exposed to erosive forces at any given time in




surface mining operations should be minimized,  and the duration of




exposure should also be limited to the  extent feasible.




      The time variation of the sensitivity and  suseeptability of aquatic




life and other beneficial water uses to  impacts  from mine-related pollu-




tants  is also an important consideration.




      In  some areas of the country, wind erosion resulting in fugitive




dust ('missions may contribute to water pollution.  Pollutant impacts are




likely to be of greatest significance where toxic or radioactive contaminants




are involved  (as may be the case  with fugitive dust from tailings or other




mineral  waste disposal areas). Partieulate matter can be  carried by




winds directly to receiving waters; dust may also be carried to land




areas adjacent to mine-related operations and  later transported in  runoff




to receiving waters. Accumulations of dust on  winter snow cover adjacent




to mine-related industrial sites can contribute  to water pollution  during




the. spring thaw.

-------
                     SELECTED REFERENCES







1.   U. S. Environmental Protection Agency, Office of Research &



    Development.  "Environmental Protection in Surface Mining of Coal. "



    EPA 670/2-74-093. October 1974.





2.   U. S. Environmental Protection Agency, Water Planning Division.



    "Guidelines for State and Areawlde Water Quality Management



    Program Development." November 1976.






3.   U. S. Environmental Protection Agency, Technology Transfer.



    "Erosion and Sediment Control,  Surface Mining in the Eastern U. S. "



    Two Volumes.  October 1976.






4.   U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Environmental Monitoring



    and Support Laboratory.  "Monitoring Groundwater Quality: Monitoring



    Methodology." EPA 600/4-76-026.  June 1976.





5.   U. S. Environmental Protection Agency, National Environmental



    Research Center.  "Rationale and Methodology for Monitoring Ground



    Water Polluted by Mining Activities. ' EPA 680/4-74-003. July 1974.






6.   U. S. Environmental Protection Agency, Office of Water Program



    Operations. "Processes,  Procedures, and Methods to Control Pollution



    from Mining Activities. "  EPA-430/9-73-011.  October 1973.






7.   U. S. Environmental Protection Agency.  "Effects of Surface



    Configuration  on Water Pollution Control on Semiarid Mine Lands. "



    Montana Agricultural Experiment Station,  Interim U. S. EPA Project



    Report. February 1976.

-------
                                 R-2






 8.  U. S. Environmental Protection Agency.  "Polluted Ground Water -




    Some Causes, Effects,  Controls, and Monitoring. "  EPA 600/4-73-




    OOlb. July 1973.






 9.  U. S. Environmental Protection Agency.  "Guidelines for Erosion



    and Sediment Control Planning and Implementation." EPA-R2-72-015.




    1972.






10.  U. S. Environmental Protection Agency.  "Underground Coal Mining



    Methods to Abate Water Pollution. "  EPA-14010  1/KK.  December 1970.






11.  U. S. Environmental Protection Agency, Office of Water  Planning &



    Standards.  "Criteria for  Developing Pollution Abatement Programs for




    Inactive and Abandoned  Mine Sites. " EPA 440/9-75-008.  August 1975.






12.  U. S. Environmental Protection Agency, Office of Water  Program



    Operations.  "Methods for Identifying and Evaluating the Nature and




    Extent of Nonpoint Sources of Pollutants. " EPA 430/9-73-014.




    October 1973.






13.  U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Office of vVater  Planning &



    Standards.  "Inactive and  Abandoned Underground Mines - Water



    Pollution  Prevention and Control. " EPA 440/9-75-007.  June 1975.






14.  U. S. Environmental Protection Agency, Office of Water  Planning &




    Standards.  "Development Document for Interim  l<'inal Effluent Limitations



    Guidelines and New Source Performance Standards for the Coal Mining




    Point Source Category. "  EPA 440/l-76-057a. May 1976.

-------
                                 R-3





15.  U. S. Environmental Protection Agency, Office of Water Planning &



    Standards.  "Development Document fdr Interim Final and Proposed



    Effluent Limitations Guidelines and New Source Performance Standards



    for the Ore Mining and Dressing  Industry Point Source Category. "



    Two Volumes.  EPA 440/1-75-061, Group II.  October 1975.





16.  U. S. Environmental Protection Agency.  "Water Quality Control in Mine



    Spoils  - Upper Colorado River Basin."  EPA 670/2-75-048.  June 1975.





17.  U. S. Environmental Protection Agency, Office of Water Planning &.



    Standards.  "Quality Criteria for Water. "  EPA-440/9-76-023.   July 1976.





18.  U. S. Environmental Protection Agency, Region IV Surveillance and



    Analysis Division.  Howard A. True.  "Nonpoint Assessment Processes:



    Planning Models for Nonpoint Runoff Assessment. "  33p.  April 1976.





19.  U. S. Environmental Protection Agency, Office of Water Supply and



    Office  of Solid Waste Management  Programs.   "Report to Congress:



    Waste  Disposal Practices and Their Effects on Groundwater.'   April 1976.






20.  U.  S.  Environmental Protection Agency,  Office of Research  &



    Development. "Water Pollution Caused by Inactive Ore and Mineral Mines



    -A National  Assessment. " EPA-600/2-76-298. December 1976.






21.  U. S.  Environmental Protection Agency.  "User's Handoook for



    Assessment  of Water Pollution from Xonpoint Sources. " December 1974,



    and August 1975.






22. U.  S.  Environmental Protection Agency.  "Loading Functions for



    Assessment  of Water Pollution from Xonpoint Sources. " EPA-603/2-76-151




    May 1976.

-------
                                 R-4





23.  U.  S. Environmental Protection Agency, Office of Research &



     Development.  "National Assessment of Water Pollution from Nonpoint



     Sources. " Draft Report, Contract No. 68-01-2293. October 1975.





24.  U.  S. Environmental Protection Agency, Office of Research and



     Development.  "An Evaluation of Tailings Ponds Sealants.." EPA-



     660/2-74-065.   June 1974.





25.  U.  S. Environmental Protection Agency, Office of Research &



     Development.  "Mine Spoil Potentials for Soil and  Water Quality. "



     EPA-670/2-74-070.  October 1974.





26.  U.  S. Environmental Protection Agency, Office of Research &



     Development.  "State-of-the-Art:  Sand and Gravel Industry, " EPA-



     660/2-74-066.  June  1974.





27.  U.  S. Environmental Protection Agency, Office of Research &



     Development.  "Assessment of Environmental Aspects of Uranium Mining



     and Milling. " EPA-600/7-76-036. December 1976.





28.  U.  S. Environmental Protection Agency.  "Production and  Processing of



     U.  S. Tar Sands:  An Environmental Assessment. " EPA-600/7-76-035.



     December 1976.





29.  U.  S. Environmental Protection Agency, Region X, Seattle, Washington.



     "Water Quality Considerations for the Metal Mining Industry in the Pacific



     Northwest."  Report No. Region X-3.  1973.





30.  U.  S. Environmental Protection Agency, Office of Research and Development.



     "Evaluation of Fugitive  Dust Emissions from Mining. " Preliminary Draft




     Report, Contract No. 68-02-1321. April 1976.

-------
                                   R-5






 31.  U.  S. Environmental Protection Agency, Office of Research and



      D9velopment. "Areawide Assessment Procedures Manual. " EPA-600/9



      76-014.  October 1976.






 32. U. S. Environmental Protection Agency. "Demonstration of Coal Mine



      Haul Road Sediment Control Techniques." EPA-600/2-76-196.  August



      1976.






 33.  u. S. Environmental Protection Agency, Water  Planning Division.



      "ix-'gal and Institutional Approaches to Water Quality Management



      Planning and Implementation." March 1977.





 34. u  S. Environmental Protection Agency. Water  Planning Division.



     "Environmental Assessment of Water Quality Management  Plans. "




     October 1 976.





 35.  U. S  Environmental Protection Agency. Office of Research and



     Development. "Resources Allocation to Optimize Mining Pollution



     Control." EPA-600/2-76-112.  November 1976.





 36.  U. S.  Environmental Protection Agency,  Office of Research and



     Development. "Ground Water Contamination  in the Northeast States. "



     EPA-660/2-74-056. 1974.






37. U. S.  Environmental  Protection Agency.  "Ground vVater Pollution in the



     South Central States.  "  EPA-R2-73-268.  1973.





38.  U. S. Environmental  Protection Agency.  "Ground Water Pollution in



    Arizona,  California.  Nevada and Utah. " EPA-16060ERU12/71.   1971.

-------
                                   R-6






39.  U.  S. Environmental Protection Agency.   "Ground Water Pollution



     Problems in the Northwestern United States. " EPA-660/3-75-018. 1975.






40.  U.  S.  Environmental Protection Agency,  Office of Research and




     Development.  "Feasibility Study of a New Surface Mining Method:



     Longwall Stripping. "  EPA-670/2-74-002.  February 1974.






41.  Li.  S. Environmental Protection Agency.   "Vegetative Stabilization of



     Mineral  Waste Heaps. "  EPA-600/2-76 -087.  April  1976.






42.  U.  S. Environmental Protection Agency,   "impact of Hydrologic



     Modifications on Water Quality."  EPA-600/2-75-007.  April 1975.






43.  U.  S. Environmental Protection Agency.   "Pollution Problems  and




     Research Needs for an Oil Shale Industry. "  EPA-660/2-74-067.



     June 1H74.






41.  U.  S. Environmental Protection Agency.   "Brine Disposal Treatment



     Practices Relating to the Oil Production Industry. "  EPA-660/2-74-037.



     May 1074.






45.  U.  S. Environmental Protection Agency.   "Prediction of Subsoil



     Erodibility Using Chemical,  Mineralogical and Physical Parameters. "



     EPA-600/2-76-043. June 1974.






46.  U.  S. Environmental Protection Agency,  Office of Research and



     Development.  "Control of Mine Drainage from Coal Mine Mineral




     vVastes  - Phase I - Hydrology and Related Experiments. "



     EPA 14010DII08/71.'  1971.

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                                  R-7





47. U.  S. Environmental Protection Agency.  "Control of Mine Drainage



    from Coal Mine Mineral Wastes Phase II, Pollution Abatement and



    Monitoring. " EPA-R2-73-230. 1973.





48. U.  S. Environmental Protection Agency, Office of Water and Hazardous



    Materials.  "Draft Development Document for Effluent Limitations



    Guidelines and New Source Performance Standards for the Oil and Gas



    Extraction Point Source Category. "  October 1974.





49. U.  S. Environmental Protection Agency, Office of Planning and



    Evaluation. "Economic Analysis of Interim Final and Proposed Eftluent



    Guidelines Mineral Mining and Processing Industry (Sand and Gravel,



    Crushed Stone,  Industrial Sand and Phosphate Rock). " EPA-230/1 -74-059a.



    July 1976.





50. U.  S. Environmental Protection Agency, Water Planning Division.



    "Handbook for Coordination of State and Designated Areawide Water



    Quality Management Agencies. " WPD7-76-02. July 1976.





51. U.  S. Environmental Protection Agency, Water Planning Division.



    "Cost Analysis Handbook for Section 208 Areawide Waste Treatment



    Management Planning Federal Assistance Applications. "  May  1975.





52. U.  S. Environmental Protection Agency, Water Planning Division.



    "State Continuing Planning Process Handbook. "  December 1975.





53. U.  S. Environmental Protection Agency, Water Planning Division.



    "Public Participation Handbook for Water Quality Management. "



    WPD 6-76-02.  June  1976.

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                                  R-8






54. U. S.  Environmental Protection Agency, Water  Planning Division.



    "Interim Output Evaluation Handbook for Section 208 Areawide Waste




    Treatment Management Planning."  June  1975.






55. U. S. Environmental Protection Agency,  Water Planning Division.




    "Financial Arrangements for Water Quality Management Planning. "




    October 1076.






56. U. S. Environmental Protection Agency,  Water Planning Division.



    "Iund Use - Water Quality Relationship." WPD :*-76-02.  March  1976.






57. U. S. Environmental Protection Agency,  Office of Research and




    Development.  "Estimating  Environmental Damages from the




    Surface Mining of Coal in Appalachia: A Case Study. "  Draft Report,




    Contract No. 68-01-.'i586.  February 1977.






58. U. S. Department of Interior,  Bureau of Mines.  "Land Utilization and



    Reclamation in the Mining Industry, 1930-71."  Information Circular




    8642.  1974.






59. U. S. Department of Interior,  Bureau of Mines.  "Strip Mining Techniques



    to Minimize Environmental  Damage in the Upper Missouri River Basin




    States. " Bureau of Mines Information Circular 8685.   1975.






60. U. S. Department of Interior,  Bureau of Mines.  "Economic  Engineering



    Analysis of U.  S.  Surface Coal Mines and Effective  Land  Reclamation."



    Contract #31241049.  February 1975.






61. U. S. Department of Interior,  Bureau of Mines.  Minerals Yearbook,




    Volume II, Area Reports:  Domestic.  1972.

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                                   R-9





 62.  U.  S. Department of Interior,  Fish and Wildlife Service.  "Effects



     of Surface Mining on the Fish and Wildlife Resources of the United



     States." BSFW Publication No. 68. 1968.






 63.  U.S.  Department of Interior,  Federal Water Pollution Control



     Administration.  "Water  Pollution from Mining Activities  Ln th?



     United States. " June 1970.






 64,  U.  S. Department of Interior,  Bureau of Mines.   "Seepage -



     Environmental Analysis of the  Slime Zone of a Tailings  Pond. "



     IC-8668.  1975.





 65.  U.  S. Department of Interior,  Bureau of Min23.   ''The Florida



     Phosphate Slimes  Problem. " IC-8668.  1975.






 66.  U.  S. Department of Interior.  "Environmental Statement for the



     Proposed Prototype Oil Shale Leasing Program."  1972.





 67.  U.  S. Department of Interior.  "Environmental Impact Statement for tho



     Proposed Federal Coal Leasing Program. " 1974.





 68.  U.  S. Department of Interior, Geological Survey.   "An Environmental



    Assessment of Impacts  of Coal Development on the Water Resources of



    the Yampa River Basin, Colorado and Wyoming. "  1976.






69. U. S. Department of Interior, Geological Survey and U.  S. Department of



    Agriculture,  Forest Service.  "Environmental Impact'Statement for the



    Development of Phosphate Resources in Southeastern Idaho. "  1976.

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                                  R-10



70. U. S. D. A., Soil Conservation Service.  "Procedure for Computing


    Sheet and Rill Erosion on Project Areas. "  Technical Release No. 51.


    September 1972.



71. U. S. D. A., Agricultural Research Service.  Predicting Rainfall-


    Erosion Losses from Cropland  East of the Rocky Mountains. "


    Agriculture Handbook No.  282.  May 1965.



72. U. S. Department of Commerce.  "Climates of the United States. "


    by John L. Baldwin.  December 1974.
                      *


73. U. S. Geological Survey.  "A Guide to State Programs  for the


    Reclamation of Surface Mined Areas. " Circular 731.  1976.



74. West Virginia Department of Natural Resources.  "Modeling of Acid


    Mine Drainage and Other Pollutants in the Monongahela River Basin


    Under Low Flow Conditions. "  159 pp.  June 1976.



75. Appalachian Regional Commission.  "Acid Mine Drainage in Appalachia:


    Summary." 1969.



76. Council on Environmental Quality.  "Coal Surface Mining and Reclamation:


    An Environmental and Economic Assessment of Alternatives. " A National


    Fuels and Energy Policy Study,  Serial No. 93-8 (92-43).  March 1973.



77. Council on Environmental Quality and U.  S. Environmental  Protection


    Agency.  "Energy and Economic Impacts of H. R. 13950 (Surface Mining


    Control and Reclamation Act of 1976, 94th Congress). " Draft Report,


    Contract No.  EQ 6AC016.  February 1977.



78. Mathematica Inc. and Ford,  Bacon  & Davis, Inc.  "Design of Surface



    Mining Systems in Eastern Kentucky." ARC-71-66-T1.  January 1974.

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                                  R-ll

79. Center for Science in the Public Interest.  "Enforcement of Strip Mining
    Laws. "  CSPI Energy Series VII.  1975 (January 1976).

80. Stanford Research Institute.  "A Study of Surface Coal Mining in
    West Virginia. " February 1972.

81. L. Robert Kimball Consulting Engineers.  "Surface Mine Water Quality
    Control in the Eastern Kentucky Coal Fields. "  ARC-71-66-T5.

82. Mohan K. Waif (Editor) - "Practices and Problems of Land Reclamation
    in Western North America. " University of North Dakota Press, Grand
    Forks.  1975.

83. National Academy of Sciences.  "Rehabilitation Potential of Western
    Coal Lands." 1974.

84. Robert  B.  Scott.  "Sealing of Coal Refuse Piles"  EPA Crown,
    West Virginia. " July 1973.

85. Council of State Governments.  "Diffuse Source Pollution: Policy
    Considerations for the States. "  RM-606. March 1977.

86. Roffman, Haia and Roffman, Amiram.  "Coal Mining Methods  and
    Related Environmental Effects on Land, Air and Water. "  Institute of
    Environmental Sciences, Proceedings of 21st Annual Technical Meeting.
    Anaheim, California.  April 14-16.  1975.

87. Metry,  Amir A. and Weston, Roy F.  "impact of Coal Handling on Water
    Quality. " Institute of Environmental Sciences, Proceedings of  21st Annual
    Technical Meeting. Anaheim,  California. April 14 - 16,  1975.

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                                  R-12






 88.  U. S.  Water Resources Council.  "Essentials of Ground-water



     Hydrology Pertinent to Water Resources Planning. " Bulletin No. 16.



     August 1973.






 89.  Wixson, Bobby G., Jennet, Charles J., et.  al.  "An Interdisciplinary



     Investigation of Environmental Pollution by Lead and Other Heavy Metals



     from Industrial Development in the New Lead Belt of Southeastern



     Missouri. " University of Missouri.  June 1974.






 90.  Branson, BranleyA. and Batch, Donald L.  "Effects of Strip Mining



     on Small-steam Fishes of East-Central Kentucky. " Proceedings of the



     Biological Society of Washington,  Volume 84, No.  59, pp. 507-518.



     February 1972.






 91.  Branson, BranleyA.  and Batch, Donald L.  "Additional Observations



     on the Effects of Strip Mining on Small-steam Fishes of East-Central



     Kentucky. " Kentucky Academy of Science Transactions,  Volume 35,



     Nos.  3-4, pp. 81-83.  December 1974.






 92.  Goldburg,  Everett F.,  Power, Garret.  "Legal Problems of Coal Mine



     Reclamation:  A Study  of Maryland, Ohio,  Pennsylvania and  West Virginia. "



     U. S. Environmental Protection Agency.  March 1972.






93.  U.S.  Environmental Protection Agency, Office of Public  Affairs.   "Working



     Effectively with Advisory Committees  in Water Quality Planning. "  May 1977.






94.  U. S.  Environmental Protection Agency, Office of Research  and Development.



     "Biological Field  and  Laboratory Methods for  Measuring the Quality of




     Surface Waters and Effluents. "  EPA-670/4-73-001. July 1973.

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                                  TECHNICAL REPORT DATA
                           (Please read Instructions on the reverse before completing)
  REPORT NO.
  EPA440/3-77-027
                             2.
                                                          3. RECIPIENT'S ACCESSION NO.
  TITLE AND SUBTITLE
   Water Quality  Management Guidance for Mine-related
  Pollution  Sources  (New,  Current and Abandoned)"
5, REPORT DATE

_December_l°J7	
6. PERFORMING ORGANIZATION CODE
 . AUTHOR(S)
  Dan Deely, Nonpoint  Sources Branch
8. PERFORMING ORGANIZATION REPORT NO.

 NA
9. PERFORMING ORGANIZATION NAME AND ADDRESS
  U.S. Environmental  Protection Agency
  Water Planning  Division WH-554  '
  Office of Water Planning and Standards
  401 M. Street,  S.W.
                                                           10. PROGRAM ELEMENT NO.
11. CONTRACT/GRANT NO.


 NA
12.
                          ADDRESS
  Same as Performing  Organization in
  Block 9 above.
13. TYPE OF REPORT AND PERIOD COVERED
 Final            	
                                                           14. SPONSORING AGENCY CODE
 EPA-700-01
15. SUPPLEMENTARY NOTES
16. ABSTRACT
  Guidance  information and direction is offered to State  and  local  water quality
  management  (WQM)  agencies dealing with prevention and control  of water pollution
  from new, current and/or abandoned mine-related pollution sources under the
  U.S. Environmental  Protection Agency's 208 Program.  Aspects  of mine-related water
  Quality Management Plan development which are separately explained and discussed
  include water pollution source identification and assessment,  current source control,
  identification and use of "Best Management Practices",  abandoned source abatement,
  new source  planning, and continuing water quality planning  and management.
  Information presented includes mining regulatory control  system features needed
  for effective water pollution prevention and control, basic mining water pollution
  control principles, and distinctions between point  sources  and nonpoint sources.
17.
                                KEY WORDS AND DOCUMENT ANALYSIS
  ftriH MinP  Plra i ngjj&
 Federal Water  Pollution Control Act
 Admendments of  1972  Mineral Wastes
 Mining     Erosion Control
 Nonpoint  Sources     Hydrologic System
 Water Quality  Management  Tailings
 Water Pollution Control   Reclamation
 Regional  Planning   Surface Water Runoff
^Minpral UastPS	
                                              b.IDENTIFIERS/OPEN ENDEDTERMS
                                              Nonpoint Source  Pollution
                                              Abandoned Mine Pollution
                                               Abatement
                                              Best Management  Practices
                                              Regulatory Control  System;
                                              208 Program  Guidance
                                              Mining Pollution Control
                                               Principles
                 COSATl Held/Group
                    13B
                                              •ff. SECURITY CLASS (This Report/
  Release Unlimited
               21. NO. OF PAGES
                em*—
                                                                         22
 £PA Form 2220-1 (R»v. 4-77)   PREVIOUS EDITION is OBSOLETE

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