A geomorphological approach to the management of rivers contaminated by metal mining

Macklin, Mark G.; Brewer, Paul; Hudson‐Edwards, Karen A.; Bird, Graham; Coulthard, Tom; Dennis, Ian; Lechler, Paul J.; Miller, Jerry R.; Turner, Jonathan

doi:10.1016/j.geomorph.2006.06.024

Cited by 254 publications

(198 citation statements)

References 55 publications

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“…These facts mean that metal toxicity to organisms will vary considerably between regions. Therefore, in order to classify accurately the ecological status of rivers impacted by metal mining, sediment assessments may need to be unique to each river catchment and incorporate: background metal concentrations, an assessment of bioavailable fractions, and concurrent water quality measurements (including major ions) (Macklin et al 2006;Netzband et al 2007;Brils 2008;Förstner 2009). There is also a debate about the practicality of sediment quality measurements in routine river ecosystem monitoring, because collecting and analysing sediment samples is a costly and time consuming process (Crane 2003).…”

Section: Moving Forward With Sediment Managementmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…There is also a debate about the practicality of sediment quality measurements in routine river ecosystem monitoring, because collecting and analysing sediment samples is a costly and time consuming process (Crane 2003). To compound these problems, the absence of uniformity in guidelines and in sampling and analytical methods throughout Europe results in a lack of comparability between results (Macklin et al 2006;Brils 2008).…”

Section: Moving Forward With Sediment Managementmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Contaminated drainage from abandoned metal mines and mine spoil are issues of international concern that can severely impact hydrological (Grimshaw et al 1976;Gammons et al 2005), sedimentological (Macklin et al 2006;Dennis et al 2009) and ecological (Gower et al 1994;Armitage et al 2007) systems. The varied geology of the UK has provided many valuable natural resources and mineral exploration has occurred since the early Bronze Age (Environment Agency 2008a).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…These sediments potentially 3 pose a serious threat to human health and the ecological integrity of fluvial ecosystems (Neal et al 2005;Environment Agency 2008b). The decline of metal mining has reduced the incidence of contamination, although, significant quantities of contaminated sediment are still being mobilised from mine spoil heaps long after active working has ceased (Macklin et al 2006). However, in some systems, a more significant source of diffuse contamination appears to be floodplain sediments contaminated by historical metal mining activities (Dennis et al 2009).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Sediment geochemistry of streams draining abandoned lead/zinc mines in central Wales: the Afon Twymyn

Byrne¹,

Reid

Wood

2010

J Soils Sediments

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Purpose Despite the decline of metal mining in the UK during the early 20th century, a substantial legacy of heavy metal contamination persists in river channel and floodplain sediments. Poor sediment quality is likely to impede the achievement of 'good' chemical and ecological status for surface waters under the European Union Water Framework Directive. This paper examines the environmental legacy of the Dylife lead/zinc mine in the central Wales mining district. Leachable heavy metal concentrations in the bed sediments of the Afon Twymyn are established and the geochemical partitioning, potential mobility and bioavailability of sediment-associated heavy metals are established.Materials and methods Sediment samples were collected from the river bed and dry-sieved into two size fractions (<63 µm and 64-2,000 µm). The fractionated samples were then subjected to a sequential extraction procedure to isolate heavy metals (Pb, Zn, Cu, Cd, Fe, Mn) in three different geochemical phases. Sediment samples were then analysed for heavy metals using ICP-AES. 2Results and discussion The bed sediment of the Afon Twymyn is grossly polluted with heavy metals.Within the vicinity of the former mine, Pb concentrations are up to 100 times greater than levels reported to have deleterious impacts on aquatic ecology. Most heavy metals exist in the most mobile easily exchangeable and carbonate-bound geochemical phases, potentially posing serious threats to ecological integrity and constituting a significant, secondary, diffuse source of pollution. Metal concentrations decrease sharply downstream of the former mine, although there is a gradual increase in the proportion of readily extractable Zn and Cd.Conclusions Implementation of sediment quality guidelines is important in order to achieve the aims of the Water Framework Directive. Assessments of sediment quality should include measurements of background metal concentrations, river water physico-chemistry and, most importantly, metal mobility and potential bioavailability. Uniformity of sediment guidelines throughout Europe and flexibility of targets with regard to the most heavily contaminated mine sites are recommended.

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Section: Moving Forward With Sediment Managementmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Moving Forward With Sediment Managementmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

See 2 more Smart Citations

Sediment geochemistry of streams draining abandoned lead/zinc mines in central Wales: the Afon Twymyn

Byrne¹,

Reid

Wood

2010

J Soils Sediments

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“…Metal-polluted river catchments are a legacy arising from historical metal mining, mineral processing, and dumping of waste along water courses throughout the world (Macklin et al 2006;Zhang et al 2012). Although most mines in the UK have now closed and active mining and dumping of waste…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Critical control of flooding and draining sequences on the environmental risk of Zn-contaminated riverbank sediments

2017

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Purpose Diffuse pollution emanating from metal miningimpacted sediment could serve as a barrier to achieving European Union Water Framework Directive and US Clean Water Act requirements. UK climate projections (UKCP09) predict increases in rainfall and aridity that will influence river stage alternately exposing and submersing contaminated riverbank sediment. Research focuses on the environmental contaminant dissolved Zn and investigates patterns of release, key geochemical mechanisms controlling Zn mobilisation and the environmental risk of sediment subjected to these perturbations. Materials and methods Using two laboratory mesocosm experiments, metal mining-contaminated sediment was subjected to alternate wet and dry sequences of different duration and frequency. The first experiment was run to determine the influence of submersion and exposure of contaminated sediment on releases of Zn and to establish environmental risk. The second experiment utilised diffusional equilibration in thin film (DET) to observe the patterns of Zn release, with depth, in the sediment. Pore water chemical analysis at the sediment-water interface enabled elucidation of key geochemical mechanisms of control of Zn mobilisation.Results and discussion Patterns of Zn release were found to be different, depending on the length of wet and dry period. High concentrations of dissolved Zn were released at the start of a flood for runs with longer dry periods. A buildup of soluble Zn sulphate minerals over long dry periods followed by dissolution on first flood wetting was a key geochemical mechanism controlling Zn release. For longer wet runs, increases in dissolved Mn and Zn were observed over the flood period. Key geochemical mechanisms controlling Zn mobilisation for these runs were: (i) reductive dissolution of Mn (hydr)oxides and release of partitioned Zn over prolonged flood periods followed by (ii) oxidation and precipitation of Mn (hydr)oxides and sorption of Zn on exposure to atmospheric conditions. Conclusions Mesocosm experiments were a first step in understanding the effects of UK climate projections on the riverbank environment. Contaminated sediment was found to pose a significant environmental risk in response to hydrological perturbations. The 'transient' nature of dissolved Zn release could make identifying the exact sources of pollution a challenge; therefore, further field studies are advised to monitor contaminant releases under a range of hydrological conditions and account for complex hydrology at mining sites.

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The science and practice of river restoration

Wohl

Lane

Wilcox

2015

Water Resources Research

535

346

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River restoration is one of the most prominent areas of applied water-resources science. From an initial focus on enhancing fish habitat or river appearance, primarily through structural modification of channel form, restoration has expanded to incorporate a wide variety of management activities designed to enhance river process and form. Restoration is conducted on headwater streams, large lowland rivers, and entire river networks in urban, agricultural, and less intensively human-altered environments. We critically examine how contemporary practitioners approach river restoration and challenges for implementing restoration, which include clearly identified objectives, holistic understanding of rivers as ecosystems, and the role of restoration as a social process. We also examine challenges for scientific understanding in river restoration. These include: how physical complexity supports biogeochemical function, stream metabolism, and stream ecosystem productivity; characterizing response curves of different river components; understanding sediment dynamics; and increasing appreciation of the importance of incorporating climate change considerations and resiliency into restoration planning. Finally, we examine changes in river restoration within the past decade, such as increasing use of stream mitigation banking; development of new tools and technologies; different types of process-based restoration; growing recognition of the importance of biological-physical feedbacks in rivers; increasing expectations of water quality improvements from restoration; and more effective communication between practitioners and river scientists.

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A geomorphological approach to the management of rivers contaminated by metal mining

Cited by 254 publications

References 55 publications

Sediment geochemistry of streams draining abandoned lead/zinc mines in central Wales: the Afon Twymyn

Sediment geochemistry of streams draining abandoned lead/zinc mines in central Wales: the Afon Twymyn

Critical control of flooding and draining sequences on the environmental risk of Zn-contaminated riverbank sediments

The science and practice of river restoration

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