Impact of vegetative cover and slope on runoff, erosion, and water quality for field plots on a range of soil and spoil materials on central Queensland coal mines

Abstract

In 1993, a field study commenced to determine the impact of vegetative cover and slope on runoff, erosion, and water quality at 3 open-cut coal mine sites. Runoff, sediment, and water quality were measured on 0.01-ha field plots from 3 slope gradients (10, 20, 30%), with pasture and tree treatments imposed on soil and spoil material, and 2 soil and spoil plots left bare. The greatest soil erosion occurred before pasture cover established, when a large surface area of soil (>0.5 plot area) was exposed to rainfall and overland flow. Once buffel grass (Cenchrus ciliaris) colonised soil plots, there were negligible differences in soil erosion between slope gradients. On spoil, Rhodes grass (Chloris gayana) reduced in situ soluble salt content, and reduced runoff electrical conductivity to levels measured in surrounding creeks. Where spoil crusted there was poor vegetative growth and unacceptably large runoff and erosion rates throughout the study.

Dynamic processes of soil erosion by runoff on engineered landforms derived from expressway construction: A case study of typical steep spoil heap

“…Results from the researches have provided practical guidance for the design and implementation of precautions for sediment control and vegetation establishment on road cuts or embankments (Lee et al, 2013;De Oña et al, 2009;Ferrer et al, 2011;Jimenez et al, 2013;Osorio and Juan, 2006;Pengcheng et al, 2008), as well as strategies and guidelines for maintenance of long-term stability of engineered landforms, revegetation and erosion control of rehabilitated mine spoils or reclaimed overburden dumps (Carroll et al, 2000;de Souza et al, 2013;Haigh and Gentcheva-Kostadinova, 2002;Mukhopadhyay and Maiti, 2014;Raizada and Juyal, 2012;Willgoose and Riley, 1998). However, the empirical-statistical models developed in China based on the USLE framework (Wischmeier and Smith, 1978) are found to be of large uncertainty due to model conceptualization as well as arbitrary choice of model parameters.…”

Effects of changes in land use and land cover on sediment discharge of runoff in a typical watershed in the hill and gully loess region of northwest China

“…(Kosmas et al, 1997;Walling, 1999;Carroll et al, 2000;Verstraeten et al, 2003). Many results reported show that changes of land use and land cover can increase or decrease soil erosion and sediment discharge (Kusumandari and Mitchell, 1997;Rai and Sharma, 1998;Fu et al, 2000;Lu and Huang, 2003).…”

Geoecology of ecosystem recovery at an inactive coal mine site, New Zealand

“…Hence, rapid development of new ecosystems on mine sites is now a high priority for any mining venture, and commonly a regulatory condition imposed before mining starts (Bell 2001;Prach and Pyšek 2001;Pensa et al 2004). Nowadays, planning of the rehabilitation stage is part of the overall mine plan before the mine opens and simple steps, such as stockpiling topsoil for subsequent plant establishment, can facilitate rapid ecosystem restoration (Carroll et al 2000;Holmes 2001;Bell 2001;Pensa et al 2004). Planning of the rehabilitation activity can be considerably enhanced by a close knowledge of the natural processes of rehabilitation that occur on disturbed lands, because the natural processes are normally the most efficient and effective for a particular site (Russell and La Roi 1986;Holmes 2001;Bell 2001).…”