Acid mine drainage and stream recovery: Effects of restoration on water quality, macroinvertebrates, and fish

Abstract

Key-words:acid-mine drainage, stream acidification, watershed remediation, water quality, biological recovery Acid mine drainage (AMD) is a prominent threat to water quality in many of the world's mining districts as it can severely degrade both the biological community and physical habitat of receiving streams. There are relatively few long-term studies investigating the ability of stream ecosystems to recover from AMD. Here we assess watershed scale recovery of a coldwater stream from pollution by AMD using a 1967 survey of the biological and chemical properties of the stream as a pre-restoration benchmark. We sampled water chemistry, benthic macroinvertebrates, and fish throughout the watershed during the spring and summer of 2011. Water chemistry results indicated that pH and total alkalinity increased post-restoration, while acidity, sulfate, and iron concentrations decreased. Watershedlevel taxa richness, local taxa richness, biomass, diversity, and density of macroinvertebrates were significantly higher post-restoration; however, %EPT was not significantly different. Fish species richness, density, and brook trout density were all significantly higher post-restoration. These results provide clear evidence that both abiotic and biotic components of streams can recover from AMD pollution. RÉSUMÉDrainage minier acide et restauration d'une rivière : effets de la restauration sur la qualité de l'eau, des macroinvertébrés et des poissons Le drainage minier acide (AMD) est une menace importante à la qualité de l'eau dans de nombreux districts miniers du monde, car il peut endommager gravement à la fois la communauté biologique et l'habitat physique des cours d'eau récep-teurs. Il y a relativement peu d'études à long terme sur la capacité des écosys-tèmes des cours d'eau à récupérer de l'AMD. Ici, nous évaluons la récupération à l'échelle d'un bassin versant d'un cours d'eau froid après pollution par AMD en utilisant un suivi fait en 1967 des propriétés biologiques et chimiques de la rivière comme référence pré-restauration. Nous avons échantillonné la chimie de l'eau, les macroinvertébrés benthiques, les poissons, dans tout le bassin au cours du printemps et de l'été 2011. Les résultats de la chimie de l'eau ont révélé que le pH et l'alcalinité totale ont augmenté post-restauration, alors que l'acidité, les concentrations en sulfate et en fer ont diminué. La richesse en taxons à l'échelle du bassin versant, la richesse locale en taxons, la biomasse, la diversité et la densité des macroinvertébrés étaient significativement plus élevées après restauration ;

Microbial Communities Associated With Passive Acidic Abandoned Coal Mine Remediation

“…Other AMD contaminants include metals such as: copper, lead, mercury, and zinc. Chronic exposure can result in the bioaccumulation of these contaminants along trophic levels and contribute to the onset of toxicological effects ranging from physiological to reproductive defects (Herlihy et al, 1990; Kim et al, 2007; Ceccatelli et al, 2013; Williams and Turner, 2015).…”

Consideration of spatial and temporal scales in stream restorations and biotic monitoring to assess restoration outcomes: A literature review, part 1

“…A before-after-control-impact (BACI) comparison for effects of specific pollution abatement periods on total richness, EPT richness and EPT density showed improvement in most of those metrics at the two uppermost sites, but at a site further downstream, only three of the nine comparisons were statistically significant. Smith improvements in fish and macroinvertebrate responses (Clements et al, 2010;Walter et al, 2012;Williams & Turner, 2015), and such responses were also observed in the EFPC studies at Oak Ridge (Adams et al, 2005;Ryon, 2011;Smith et al, 2011). However, in both types of restoration, the impacted sites often still differed from reference sites.…”

“…For acid mine and industrial pollutants restoration, the source of stressors typically lies in headwaters, and multiple and expensive restorative methods have been implemented over several years or decades. Three of the four acid mine restoration activities saw improvements in fish and macroinvertebrate responses (Clements et al, 2010; Walter et al, 2012; Williams & Turner, 2015), and such responses were also observed in the EFPC studies at Oak Ridge (Adams et al, 2005; Ryon, 2011; Smith et al, 2011). However, in both types of restoration, the impacted sites often still differed from reference sites.…”

“…Although not continuously monitored, Williams and Turner (2015) evaluated restoration of acid mine drainage by comparing a 1967 biological and chemical stream survey as pre‐restoration data to post‐restoration‐ data collected in 2011. The multiple restoration activities included surface mine revegetation and sealing deep mines along with an anoxic limestone drain and settling ponds.…”

“…Details and results of studies in which the restoration was acid mine drainage or industrial pollutant restoration for the macroinvertebrates. The macroinvertebrate and fish responses at the downstream sites furthest from restoration treatments lagged responses at the upstream sites, with that lagged response at the most downstream site attributed to residual mine tailings in the floodplainWilliams and Turner (2015) Between 1970 and 2000, recontouring and revegetating surface mines in the headwaters, injecting and sealing deep mines with a limestone slurry, plugging abandoned gas and oil wells and using an anoxic limestone drain and two settling ponds to treat acid mine drainage dischargeSeven of the eight biotic response variables, five for macroinvertebrates and three for fish were all greater in 2011 than in 1967, with only % EPT not being statistically different between the years. Also, observed increases in pH and alkalinity and decreases in free acidity, SO…”