Impact Assessment and Remediation Strategies for Roadway Construction in Acid-Bearing Media: Case Study from Mid-Appalachia
Publication: Journal of Infrastructure Systems
Volume 14, Issue 3
Abstract
The likelihood of encountering land impacted by current and/or historic coal mining activities is high when constructing roadways in the Mid-Appalachian region. Through additional disturbance of these lands, environmental impacts such as acid and dissolved metals loading and subsequent impacts to aquatic flora and fauna will ensue. Consequently, it is necessary to affect a paradigm shift in roadway design and construction to account for the presence of factors that compound the already difficult task of working in a region characterized by steep topography and aggressive geochemistry. In this study, assessments of the water chemistry and biological impacts of a waste pile containing spoils from previous mining and the presence of an exposed coal mine bench were made as representative microcosmic examples of typical conditions found in the region. Based on quantitative measurements of water quality and biological conditions, recommendations are presented for the assessment and avoidance of impacts prior to construction through acid-bearing materials and suggestions are offered for postconstruction remediation at previously impacted sites.
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Acknowledgments
This work was funded through a grant from the West Virginia Division of Highways (WVDOH). The writers thank Mr. Charles Riling, Environmental Coordinator for Corridor H construction and Mr. Norse Angus and Mr. Neal Carte of the WVDOH’s Environmental Group for their proactive commitment to environmental stewardship, for assistance in gathering valuable practical information on both the study site and field operations, and for their critical reviews of this manuscript.
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Information & Authors
Information
Published In
Journal of Infrastructure Systems
Volume 14 • Issue 3 • September 2008
Pages: 223 - 229
Copyright
© 2008 ASCE.
History
Received: Sep 2, 2004
Accepted: Mar 1, 2007
Published online: Sep 1, 2008
Published in print: Sep 2008
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